With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

“And now you do what they told ya, now you’re under control” December 16, 2010

Filed under: Christmas,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 12:00 am
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Zack was now beginning to regret that pre gig curry

On December 16th you need to be a little careful when opening the cardboard door on my UK Christmas Number Ones Advent Calendar, this one may get a little loud! So let me take you way, way, way back through the sands of time to Christmas 2009. OK so I lied about the way, way, way back thing! Well we did it last year didn’t we? We stopped X Factor Muppet Joe McElderry from getting the Christmas number one. Thank you to everyone who bought Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing In The Name” last year. I’d like to think we can do the same this year, but at the moment it doesn’t look like it, Matt Cardle’s cover of a Biffy Clyro number is sadly way ahead of the competition on the midweek sales chart.

Rage get their tackle out to tackle the PMRC

The Biffy song Simon Cowell chose for the winner was “Many Of Horror” but presumably that title was a little too surreal for X Factor fans so they changed it to “When We Collide”. Anyway back to last year, thanks to an amazing Facebook campaign from Jon and Tracy Morter “Killing In The Name” reigned supreme at Christmas. It might have only stayed there for one week, but people we did it! Now all we need is another campaign to get rid of those useless tossers also know as the coalition government!

This is exactly how they started their set at Reading when I saw them a couple of yeasr back

When “Killing In The Name” was originally released back in 1993 it only manged to make it to number 25 in the UK. But last Christmas it was the first UK Christmas number one to make it on downloads alone. The uncensored version of the song contains the Anglo Saxon expletive ‘fuck’ 17 times. This has managed to get a few people into trouble at various times. In 1993 Radio 1 DJ Bruno Brookes played the uncensored version on the weekly chart countdown show. Then in 2008 the song was inadvertently played over the speakers at an Asda supermarket in Preston, obviously many people complained. For the record, I would not have complained!

In August 2008 in a strange twist the aforementioned Biffy Clyro performed an acoustic version of the song for Jo Whiley‘s Live Lounge live from the Reading Festival. The band obeyed the strict instructions not to use the word fuck as it was a live broadcast. However the crowd didn’t follow that request and could be heard filling the supposedly offensive lyrics in themselves. Poor Jo was forced to apologise to her listeners. I was there that year but sadly I missed that performance.

 

“Sinatra was swinging all the drunks they were singing” December 15, 2010

Filed under: Christmas,News,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 10:59 pm
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Liam no longer has a bone to pick with his brother, but he does have a nose of his own to pick!

Just a brief post with a couple of bits of Christmas related news for you. Firstly, could the Gallagher brothers feud be thawing just a little bit? Liam has posted a message on Twitter wishing Noel a Happy Christmas. The Tweet also wished seasons greetings to the Zutons. The tweet read like this ‘Noel Gallagher n Zutons Merry Christmas LG x’ You can follow Liam on Twitter if you so desire Twitter.com/liamgallagher I wonder if Noel, who to be fair has a Christmas type name, will respond.

Who's nicked me bongoes?

Following their journey to the final of ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here‘ Queen Of The Jungle Stacey Solomon and runner up Shaun Ryder off of the Happy Mondays and Black Grape are supposedly recording a cover of the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl‘s Christmas classic “Fairytale Of New York” read the NME report on the jungle duo by clicking here. I’m not able to find a post of the song, so enjoy “The Gillian McKeith Song” by Brett Domino and the original “Fairytale Of New York”

 

“Well she really fills her clothes from head to toe, I want the world to know I love her, love her so” December 11, 2010

Filed under: Christmas,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 9:04 am
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reet petite asleep perhaps?

It’s December 1986 and a song that was recorded nearly 30 years before makes it to the top of the chart and also 3 years after it’s singer died. Can you guess what we’ll find when we open the December 11th Cardboard flap on my UK Christmas Number Ones Advent Calendar? It’s the truly stupendous Jackie Wilson with “Reet Petite”. Back in the 70s this was always one of the favourite songs of my mate Glen’s Dad Bill Voisey.

Jackie meets Elvis

Jackie Wilson was a truly gifted vocalist. How can people not be moved by  “Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher And Higher” and “I Get The Sweetest Feeling“. In 1985 Wilson was mentioned in the post Lionel Richie Commodores hit “Night Shift” along with the likes of Marvin Gaye. Wilson was mentioned in quite a few songs and in fact “Reet Petite” was given reference in David Bowie’s “Red Money” from the 1979 album ‘The Lodger’. “Reet Petite” was number one for 4 weeks including the Christmas of 1986. Jackie’s cousin was Levi Stubbs Jr off of the Four Tops, probably one of my favourite vocalists of all time and very sadly missed.

The song also made the top slot in Ireland and Holland, enjoy the video below, after some other Jackie Wilson classics

 

“I’ll be your clown or your puppet or your April Fool, cut my hair I’ll even wear a mask” December 7, 2010

Filed under: Christmas,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 12:04 am
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December 7th and just 18 days to go now until the big bearded bloke in red arrives on your roof. It’s strange isn’t it that we spend much of our lives telling our children not to speak to strangers but come Christmas we effectively tell them a fat, old, loudly dressed bloke is going to break into their house and leave them presents. It seems a bit strange when you look at it that way doesn’t it? Anyway enough of that nonsense, let’s open the door for december 7th on my UK Christmas Number Ones Advent Calender. Forgive me but this one really is a steaming pile of number twos, but I bet if you listen to it just once you won’t get it out of your head for ages.

Little Jimmy

It still holds the record for the youngest artist ever to have a UK number one, he was just 9 years and 8 months. Laydeez and Gennermen I give you….. LITTLE…… JIMMY……..OSMOND!!! Yes it is time to dust off that bloody awful song (well in my opinion anyway) “Long Haired Lover From Liverpool”. The song was number one at Christmas 1972 and stayed there for 5 weeks and sold just short of 1 million copies. I hope all 998,000 of you still feel guilty! Sadly it went to number one on December 23rd 1972 thus preventing Chuck Berry‘s “My Ding-A-Ling” from staying on top for Christmas!

Big Jimmy

Little Jimmy rode the successful wave of his siblings success, along with the Jackson 5 the Osmonds were one of the biggest pop bands on the planet in the early part of the 70s. In fact the Osmonds first big hit in the UK was “One Bad Apple” which is a very good song, but in my opinion is very much identikit Jackson 5. What do you think?

See You Jimmy

James Arthur Osmond, (for that is Little Jimmy’s real name) went on to become quite a good friend of Michael Jackson. He went on to work for the King Of Pop during the ‘Bad’ Tour in the 80s. The Japanese leg of the tour was sponsored by Pepsi and the Japanese TV Company Nippon TV. It was Jimmy that negotiated the sponsorship deal with Nippon TV.

Here is Master Osmond with that bloody song!

And if you thought that was annoying how about his cover of the Connie Francis song “Tweedle Dee”?

 

“I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take” December 4, 2010

Filed under: Christmas,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 6:11 pm
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After the success of his version of Mad World Gary planned to get a star tattoo for each finger

Are you waiting to open the door for the 4th December on my UK Christmas number ones advent calendar? I hope so. Apologies for being a little tardy with this one, let’s blame the weather shall we? Anyway as you open that cardboard flap very carefully you will be releasing “Mad World” by  Gary Jules and Michael Andrews. The song was originally a hit for Tears For Fears back in 1982 when it reached number 3 in the UK chart. The song was the third single from the band and was written by Roland Orzabal.It was originally the B Side of the band’s second single “Pale Shelter (You Don’t Give Me Love)”

Surely Curt's hairstyle was never cool, not even in the 80's. Was it?

The Gary Jules and Michael Andrews version is slowed down and in my opinion almost menacing at times. It was taken from the soundtrack from one of my favourite films, ‘Donnie Darko‘. It was number one in the UK during Christmas 2003 and held the pole position for three weeks. It also reached number one in Canada and Portugal. It has been covered by quite a diverse group of acts including Adam Lambert and Die Toten Hosen. TV shows have used it to great effect on many occasions too including CSI, Smallville and the Vicar Of Dibley.

Success didn't really go to Gary's head, but he was turning into the Incredible Hulk or maybe the Jolly Green Giant (OK that was really corny wasn't it?)

Michael Andrews is well-known for his film scores, including Donnie Darko (obviously), My Suicidal Sweetheart and Funny People. Gary Jules is attributed with what in my opinion is a truly wonderful quote. “I found out that people through the ages are exactly the same as now, they had the same issues, the same desires. One thing that’s clear when you read old literature is that there are some great universal truths – things like fart jokes, guys screwing other people’s wives and the hunger for power.” I have to agree on the fart jokes comment.

Enjoy the Gary Jules and Michael Andrews version below

Here are Tears For Fears performing the original song on Top Of The Pops in 1982

And finally experience Die Toten Hosen playing (or maybe murdering) the song live.

 

“She said she’d like to bathe in milk, he said, ‘All right, sweetheart'” December 3, 2010

Filed under: Christmas,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 7:24 am
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So let’s open that little cardboard door for December 3rd shall we? What’s behind it? It’s not chocolate but it might relate to one of the ingredients used in some chocolate, yes it has a link to milk! A milk related Christmas number one? Whatever could it be? Well obviously it’s “Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)” by Benny Hill. It was number one in the UK during Christmas 1971 and stayed on top for 4 weeks. It actually prevented the T Rex classic “Jeepster” from reaching the top.

The song was chosen by David Cameron as one of his Desert Island Discs, he said that it was one of the few songs he could remember all the words to. As many of you regular readers will know my Dad was a Milkman (as was Benny Hill incidentally) . My Dad spent twenty-seven years with Express Dairies serving customers in Uxbridge, Middlesex. I had the great honour and pleasure of working as his milk boy from 1970 until 1975. Oh and by the way he wasn’t called Ernie, he, like me, was called Bill, or William if you prefer to be formal. But there was a milkie at the same depot called Ernie and he really did get fed up of that song. I know it’s a novelty song, but I still like it, I hope you enjoy it too!

 

“I write “I’m sorry” but my letter keeps coming back” December 2, 2010

Filed under: Christmas,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 12:03 am
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Here we are on December 2nd and the second day of my Christmas Advent Calendar. As I said yesterday, this year it’s all about UK Christmas number ones, next up is one of my favourite Elvis songs. It may not be classic Sun Records or Elvis or Memphis Sessions Elvis, but it’s definitely not Fat Elvis! It’s a truly classic pop song and it’s “Return To Sender”. It was the UK Christmas number one for 1962, just before my 4th birthday (wow that’s bloody old!) it held the top spot for three weeks. The session player who provided the baritone saxophone sound was in fact Bobby Keys. He has played with the Rolling Stones for years and also played on George Harrison‘s ‘All Things Must Pass’ album.

Elvis clearly didn't trust the US Postal Service so he delivered this one directly to President 'Tricky Dicky' Nixon

and here is an extract from that very letter to Nixon

On January 8th 1993, what would have been Presley’s 58th birthday the US Postal Service released a set of Elvis stamps. Apparently many people bought them and used them to send letters to fictitious addresses in the hope that they would be returned stamped ‘RETURN TO SENDER‘!

Here is Elvis performing the song as Ross Carpenter in the film ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’

Here is a later period (Fat Elvis) with a live version of the song

I’d like to finish with two postal related songs for your further pleasure. Starting with “Blame It On The Pony Express” from Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon. I love that song. After that you’ll get the Box Tops with “The Letter”

 

“Arms that chain us, arms that lie” December 1, 2010

Filed under: News,Rants — justwilliam1959 @ 11:22 pm
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So the X Factor finalists have their own Top Trumps game? In my opinion it's kind of appropriate as trump is another word for fart and this bunch barely have a muppet fart of talent between them!

Firstly this post is NOT in my Advent Calendar series OK? It’s another random selection of music stuff. Firstly and I am saddened to say it in many, many ways a Bowie song is at number one in the UK. It’s the X Factor finalists cover of Bowie’s “Heroes” Thankfully I haven’t been able to hear Wagner on the recording. The singles only other saving grace is that it is raising funds for the ‘Help For Heroes‘ charity which supports those British soldiers that have been injured in the ridiculous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that we followed the Americans into. But believe me, it is the UK Government I have a gripe with and especially former Prime Minister Tony Blair, I have every respect for all the British troops that are out there right now. Go and buy the single and throw it away if you have to. In the meantime take a look at the classic original below.

You know I always thought that Santa's Elves were a little more cuddly than this!

Next some very good X Factor related news. Corey Taylor off of Slipknot has recorded a Christmas single and he wants it to beat whatever single the X Factor show produces for the Christmas slot. Let’s get behind this one people, let’s make Corey this years “Killing In The Name Of“. Buy it and keep a muppet off the number one spot. The song is called “X-M@$”. Check it out below and click here to read the NME report about the song.

US politics often baffles me, especially where outgoing officials are allowed to grant pardons for previous misdemeanours by various criminals, jailbirds and wrongly accused. However I was pleasantly surprised to read that the ousted Governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, has issued a pardon for Jim Morrison off of the Doors following the singers arrest for allegedly getting his todger out on stage in Miami in 1969. Fair play Charlie and frankly, about bloody time too! It has always bothered me that with all the people and all the police at that concert there was never any evidence to prove that Jim actually did the deed. Read about the pardon by clicking here.

Enjoy “Break On Through” below

Apparently it was the dog's bollocks that Jim exposed, not his own!

 

“R is for the reindeer prancing by the window pane”

Filed under: Christmas,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 7:59 pm
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Before X factor the race for the UK Christmas number one was often quite exciting, well at least it was for a teenager like me. Well ok I’m not a teenager anymore, but I was…… honest! So to follow-up my Facebook experiment last year I will be undertaking a post a day until Christmas and whereas last years were all about cover versions, this years advent calendar from me is all about UK Christmas number ones over the years. There have been nearly 60 and I promise you that some you will love and frankly there will be some that you won’t.

So to kick things off by opening the little cardboard door on my advent calendar for Decemebr 1st and behind that door is…….. “Christmas Alphabet” by Dickie Valentine. This was Christmas number one in the UK in 1955 and stayed at the summit for three weeks. Dickie’s parents name him Richard Bryce when he was born in Marylebone in London. This song was the first actual Christmas song to reach number one in the UK. It was also his second number one of the year and a further three top ten hits. Being a crooner it was probably the advent of rock n roll that stilted Dickie’s career. Sadly he died in a car crash in Wales in 1971 aged just 41.

Here is Dickie with his Christmas Alphabet

And now a cover of the song from the first Carpenters Christmas Special TV show, sung by Karen Carpenter and Kristy McNichol

And finally here is Dickie once again with “Mister Sandman” hmmmmmmm………I wonder if there is a mash-up out there of this song and Metallica’s “Enter Sandman“?