Three Johnnies

Tuesday brings three Johnny songs, none of which I own in any format and all suggested by friends in the comments boxes. Simon went for Lucille #1 by Prefab Sprout and Echorich concurred. It's from that moment in the mid 80s when some of the indie heroes went all sophisticated and adult. This performance is from the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1985.



Very nice. I had the Steve McQueen album on cassette but never replaced it after the tape died out.

Johnny #2 is from Drew and his almost annual pilgrimage to see Stiff Little Fingers at this time of year. Simon loves this one too. SLF do a rip-roaring cover of Bob Marley's Johnny Was. This version from a 1999 tour is seven minutes long and causes punk pandemonium.



Thirdly, Ctel, chronicler of all things dance music related at Acid Ted, requested Motorhead or Hawkwind doing Lost Johnny. The internet is sharply divided into those who favour Motorhead's fast and angry version and those who go for the earlier, trippier and heavier Hawkwind one. Out of the two I prefer Hawkwind's stoner rock, distorted bass and reverb-laden vocals. Lemmy it should be noted played bass and sang on both.

Dirge Dub

I missed a comment left a month or so ago from a reader called J who was looking for this- Death In Vegas's Dirge (with the lovely Dot Allison on vox) remixed by dubmaster Adrian Sherwood. And though this may tip me towards the edge of the monthly bandwidth with Boxnet I'll stick it back up anyway. Dubbed out Monday nights.

Dirge (Adrian Sherwood Remix)

Heliocentric Request

I've had a request for the Two Lone Swordsmen remix of Paul Weller's Heliocentric, a record released back in 2000 but only as a limited white label- which makes it a bit of a rarity. I don't think it's ever had any kind of official release. Apparently Weller didn't like it- although given the influences on and nature of his recent albums he should probably have another listen and reconsider. This is Weller put through the krautrock wringer by Weatherall and Tenniswood; driving drums and bass, doomy, odd noises, veers into Killing Joke territory. I love it. Play loud.

Heliocentric (Swordsmen 4UR Mix)

Surf Sunday

Regular Friday night rockabilly enthusiast and reader George asked about some surf music. I'm not sure I've got a huge amount and some of what I have got I've already shoehorned into the rockabilly series (Chantays' Pipeline cropped up in May). George also referred to Dick Dale and his epic surf instrumental Miserlou (best known to many as the theme from Pulp Fiction). So, as a starter in what may be a somewhat short series of Surf Sunday posts, here's Dick Dale and his Deltones with another string bending surf song.

Let's go Trippin'

Skanga

A reader called Anthony James has made a request, 'on bended knee' no less (quite fitting with all this reverence for our dear Queen)- One Dove's Skanga. I'm only too happy to oblige with this majestic 12" B-side slice of dub-house with Dot's wonky vocals. Wonderful record.

Skanga

I think I've mentioned this before but I can't understand why this song and their cover of Jolene weren't on Morning Dove White, instead of the multiple versions of Breakdown and White Love- they would have made it a different and better album.

A Good Day

Dirk read this morning's Lily Allen post and commented that he hoped Lily and Mick Jones' cover of Straight To Hell was still up. It wasn't but I'm having a good day so it is now. A Level results have been good and I've just opened a letter that says I successfully overturned a parking ticket from UK Parking Control that was looking like it was going to cost us 90 quid. Victory is mine!

*punches air, high fives wife, does little dance*.

Straight To Hell

A Reader Requests

A reader called Freesoundcollective (possibly not his/her real name) has asked for a repost of Luna's cover of Sweet Child O'Mine, yes that Sweet Child O'Mine, done for a radio session. Luna were Dean Wareham's follow up to Galaxie 500 and this cover is a genuine thing of beauty so I'm more than happy to oblige. If you haven't heard this before, you really should.

SweetChildOMine.mp3

Stella Stuff

A reader, Tom, was asking about long lost Madchester band Intastella the other day, so here we go. My 12" copy of debut single Dream Some Paradise, which memory tells me is quite good, is in pretty poor nick and won't rip well. At some point I had the album Intastella And The Family Of People, which had a good cover but the tunes didn't live up to the hype. Not sure where the album is but it's not under I for Intastella.

After being touted as Manchester's Saint Etienne and failing to deliver the hits they were dropped by MCA, but resurfaced in 1993 with a single with jungle runner up Shaun Ryder, and then again in 1995 with a cover of Frankie Valli's northern soul classic The Night. The B-side was this, The Right Experience, and listening to it now it's alright. It's 1995 so the Madchester dance pop has gone, replaced by riffier guitars, but Stella's vocals are good and the song's nicely laid back. The band originally evolved out of another Manchester band Laugh, and changed their name when Stella Grundy and dancer Little Anthony joined. Little Anthony (at the back in the picture) was a regular face in Manchester's bars and clubs fifteen to twenty years ago. I've got a feeling I may have shared a podium with him at some point. Bagging Area blushes slightly at the memory of this.

If any readers have got files of any of the earlier stuff like Dream Some Paradise or People, and they don't mind sharing, leave a comment and we'll get them up here. This appears to be my 500th post, which is surely close to insanity considering I only started this at the beginning of this year. I think Bagging Area actually passed this milestone a few days back as the DMCA removed four or five posts, but the counter down on the right says 500 so we'll believe it. Thanks for sticking with me people, and for the comments.

The Right Experience.mp3

Reader Request Death In Vegas 'Dirge' Adrian Sherwood Remix

Anonymous left a comment a while back requesting this remix, the day after I cut the link. Adrian Sherwood's dub remix of Death In Vegas, back for a limited period.

dirge adrian sherwood remix.mp3

Reader Request Paris Angels 'All On You (Perfume)'

Another reader re-post request which I missed, also from back in March, this time from Nik J for this Paris Angels single. All On You (Perfume) was much loved by many, although not Ctel from the mighty (but sadly deleted by Google) Acid Ted blog.

All_On_You_(Perfume).mp3

Reader Request Primal Scream 'Higher Than the Sun' American Spring Mix

I've just been looking at some of my earliest posts and seen that back in March a reader called Madeddi left a comment asking me to re-post this Andrew Weatherall remix of Primal Scream's Higher Than The Sun, the American Spring mix featuring the harpsichord riff. So here it is, better late than never. If you're still reading Madeddi, this one's for you. Suppose I should get this set up so I get email notifications of comments. Once the posts slip off the front page I don't check the comments that often.

02 Higher Than the Sun [American Spring Mix].wma

A Reader Request! Happy Mondays 'Tokoloshe Man'

On the rare occasions when I'm allowed to dj to a (small) room of adults, I get a bit fed up when people ask for requests. 'I'm playing the records', I think, 'I'm inflicting my taste on you, do you go to an art gallery and make requests? Or a gig? Oh, OK'. Miserable so-and-so, arn't I? But on Bagging Area it's different- it's feedback, and feedback is good. Apart from when you hit Send before thinking things through and insult people. Further apologies to Trubshaw, who I needlessly and thoughtlessly called something not very nice yesterday. Anyhow, following this morning's John Kongos post a man called Dirk requested Tokoloshe Man, not the Kongos original but Happy Mondays cover version. So here it is. Maracas at the ready Dirk.

09 Tokoloshe Man.wma