OK, firstly apologies for the smutty, Carry On, double entendre, innuendo title for this new feature. But I am talking about the 12-inch single, obviously! This will build into a playlist of my favourite 12-inch singles and remixes, many of which I used to own on vinyl. I am kicking off with an absolute club smash from 1977, “Do What You Wanna Do” by T-Connection. The single, helped by the majestic 12-inch version got to number one in the US Dance Chart and a peak of number 11 in the UK charts. The group majored in a classy funk and disco sound, epitomised by “Do What You Wanna Do”. The band hailed from Nassau in the Bahamas, Funky Nassau indeed! Despite being active from 1975 until 1984 they sadly never reached the heights achieved by this song again. So put on your dancing trousers and cut some rug to the awesome “Do What You Wanna Do”. Dance like nobody’s watching and remember “You gotta be your judge and jury too!”
This series will eventually become a playlist, so keep your ears peeled for that! Also, feel free to recommend your own favourite 12-inch tracks!
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This is the seventeenth song in the Play It Again Mayhem series, which began back in 2020. Check out the previous entries along with this new one in the Play It Again Mayhem Spotify Playlist, click here to take a listen! It has only been 7 weeks since the last entry, so it must be time for another, right? Anyway, this is a song that has, perhaps in an ironic way, been in my head for the last couple of weeks given all the rain we have had in much of the UK recently. It is T. Rex with “Celebrate Summer”. After 10 top 5 hits, including 4 UK number ones, from 1970 to 1973, Marc Bolan’s glitter had faded a little. Although in 1977 he championed some of the younger punk bands and fronted his own weekly TV show, ‘Marc’. Some of the new bands he embraced included the Jam, the Damned, Eddie and the Hot Rods, and Generation X. The show also saw appearances by David Bowie and Hawkwind. But sadly his untimely death at far too young an age in September 1977 put to rest any chance of the diminutive former Mr Feld rising to the heights of the early 70s Bolanmania period.
“Celebrate Summer” is a non-album single and the last T. Rex single to be released while Marc was still alive. It came out on 12th August 1977 and he died in an awful car accident in Barnes on 16th September 1977. The song was performed on the ‘Marc’ TV show three times and despite some relatively good reviews, many of which cited a punk/ new wave influence, it failed to get much radio airplay and as a result, it failed to make the charts. Personally, I consider this track to be among T. Rex‘s best.
So to steal some lyrics from this rather wonderful ditty “Hey little punk forget all that junk and celebrate summer with me. Summer’s not a bummer. This is summer. And it’s now” Whatever you are doing and wherever you are I hope you make the most of your summer!
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I saw an online flyer for this gig by Gum Disease in my adopted home city of York. The band referred to themselves as a queer, clown, punk band. That description piqued my interest and sold the whole event to me, plus it was to be an acoustic set and they are always a little different, right? The venue is a wonderfully laid-out safe space for the LGBTQ+ community and incredibly welcoming to straight allies like me. The gig was actually held in the bookshop rather than the cafe so that a fan in a wheelchair would not miss out. You really should check out the Over The Rainbow Cafe!
Gum Disease was formed back in 2020 and consists of Phoebe Kift, Avery Holdom, and Magnus Vintin. Avery and Phoebe were there, but poor Magnus, the drummer, couldn’t make it as he was unwell. So how good were Gum Disease’s dynamic duo of Avery and Phoebe? Well, frankly they were fucking awesome! With maybe no more than 20 people in the audience this was a truly intimate gig. This two-thirds of Gum Disease perfectly epitomised the DIY attitude of old-school punk and they certainly have a new fan in me. Phoebe’s jokes were as awful and groan-worthy as most of mine and she told them to fill in a couple of times while Avery was trying to remember some chords. But none of this was detrimental to what, for me, was a completely open and honest performance from what is clearly a great band. Songs like “Gender Envy”, “Bowling Alley Carpet” and “Milk” were highlights for me as were the covers, especially the truncated “Teenage Dirtbag”.
Their blurb says that they are Gum Disease and they will make your teeth fall out, they certainly rattled mine, but I guess an acoustic set would not have the tooth removal power of a full-on electric show. It was a very special night for one couple in the audience as there was a beautiful proposal and the resounding YES, meant an actual engagement took place. That even brought a tiny tear to this cynical old man’s eyes! Huge congratulations to the happy couple, how many other people can say that they got engaged at a Gum disease gig?
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Let’s start with the Friday lineup for this year’s Leeds Festival. Firstly though, we have now come to expect this joint headline thing for Leeds/ Reading each day of the festival. I don’t see the point, are the punters getting more value for money? That is debatable, but maybe, but not a great deal. Surely the last act to play on that particular night is the main headliner, right? Anyway, enough of the mini-rant. The Main Stage East headliner on Friday 25th August is the towering talent, Billie Eilish. Earlier in the evening Rina Sawayama will undoubtedly put on a stunning set. Also, keep an eye out for the Amazons, they come highly recommended by my daughter. Main Stage West on the Friday looks a little “safe” to me with Becky Hill followed by Imagine Dragons. However, to balance that we will be given a stonking double whammy of the magnificent Don Broco followed by the rather awesome Snuts!
The hot ones hitting the Dance Stage on Friday are likely to be Shy FX and Eliza Rose in my opinion. The Festival Republic Stage will undoubtedly host a real screamfest when Lovejoy perform the headline set. Further down the bill, you will see the sublime Tom Odell and the rather wonderful Royston Club. My pick for Radio 1 Xtra Stage is the headliner K-Trap. Of course, the BBC Introducing Stage never lets you down and the one not to miss on Friday is the Goa Express.
On Saturday the Main Stage West hosts a very early highlight when it is opened by none other than the genius and all round top bloke, Frank Turner along with the mighty Sleeping Souls. I would consider selling my grandmother to get a ticket to see Frank Turner, but as she died many years ago, I won’t be tempted! You Me At Six will bring some good noise with them and Trippie Redd will bring some fine US rap ahead of what will be a truly rambunctious set by festival stalwarts and Leeds/ Reading favourites, Foals. Over on the Main Stage East try not to miss the arch wit and supreme talent of Yard Act, who will be opening proceedings on the Saturday. I reckon Yard Act have the potential to be headliners (or joint headliners?) in the future. Later on the Main Stage East, we get to judge whether Wet Leg are as good as the hype that surrounds them. Expect the Main Stage East to be closed with a highly charged and incendiary set from Sam Fender.
The Radio 1 Dance Stage has the Murder Capital listed early on for Saturday. Dance Stage? Really? But trust me getting to see the Murder Capital at a festival is worth the weight of all the illicit substances in your rucksack, you’ll probably feel healthier for losing that stuff too. The Festival Republic Stage features an incredibly eclectic and rather excellent bunch of acts for Saturday at Leeds. Make sure that you are in attendance for Yonaka, Lauren Hibberd, and Bilk at the very least. Check out the Last Dinner Party too. Are they an industry plant? many think that they are, but personally, I don’t. However, I am keen to see whether their performance will live up to the weight of expectations and plaudits heaped on them. On the Saturday I will try and catch as many acts as I can on the BBC Introducing Stage. But whatever happens, I will definitely be there for headliner Alt Blk Era.
Of the two Main Stage lineups for Sunday 27th August, Main Stage East looks stronger for me. Likely highlights will, I think, be Baby Queen, Holly Humberstone, Nothing But Thieves, and obviously indefatigable indie rock darlings, the Killers. Main Stage West is to be headlined by perennial super subs, the 1975. Last year they filled in for Rage Against The Machine and this year they will be covering Lewis Capaldi’s slot. Apart from the 1975, I reckon that Arlo Parks will raise the East Stage’s game in the afternoon.
MK will headline the Radio 1 Dance Stage. The Festival Republic Stage hosts a classy lineup on Sunday, including Mothica, Scowl, High Vis, and Fat Dog. Then the Radio 1 Xtra Stage will be nicely smashed by Malaki and Nippa. Once again the BBC Introducing Stage has a great selection. Standouts on Sunday for me will be Hannah Grae and Hotwax.
It is since I attended my first festival, which was Reading, and I recall a stunning set from Thin Lizzy back then (in 1975!!!!) I don’t believe that the lineup for 2023 looks like one of the best on paper, but on the muddy fields of Bramham Park, it will be a different matter entirely!
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