UKPressure

musicology #121

socialcommentaryweek #1

(Billy Bragg – Take Down The Union Jack)

themusicologist has tried to keep politics off the menu but it’s one of the subjects that infuriates me. the deceipt, corruption, greed and unbeleivable hypocrisy is just too much for me to not have a musical say.

unfortunately the only politics left today is the politics of greed and the blame for that lies with those who shape society. ultimately responsibility lies with each of us but we all know that ‘the law’ restricts us from taking action in ever increasing ways and is in fact an establishment tool that has very little to do with justice.

the subjects that are, (for me), most important are Health and Education, essentially because I have two children and find myself at the ‘sharp end of the stick’ in both areas. of course economics are an issue but money has no place in my heart so holds little interest.

one of musics greatest attributes is delivering a message and themusicologist is often heard singing this one as I go about my life so I was especially pleased when my eldest asked for this one to be added to her I-Pod..this is what I call education. just as Curtis and Paul Weller, (among many others), helped shape my views so it may be with the next generation.

I’m starting the socialcommentaryweek with this one by one of themusicologists most respected artists who has always stood up to be counted and in my humble opinion is one of the finest songwriters to hail from these shores…taken from his 2002 Set ‘England, Half English’.. just like to add that I am proud of the culture that is a part of me and it saddens me to see it fade away to be be replaced by the globalisation ideology that has been forced apoun us since the end of World War II. I believe whole heartedly in community but not in homogeny and brother Bragg articulates many of my thoughts and feelings perfectly … lyrics Bragg-La … lyrics.

“take down the Union Jack, it clashes with the sunset,
and put it in the attic, with the emperors old clothes,
when did it fall apart? sometime in the 80’s,
when the great and the good gave way to the greedy and the mean,

Britain isn’t cool you know it’s really not that great,
it’s not a proper country, doesn’t even have a patron saint,
it’s just an economic union that’s passed it’s sell by date,

take down the Union Jack it clashes with the sunset,
and ask our Scottish neighbours if independence looks any good,
cos they just might understand how to take an abstract notion,
of personal identity and turn it into nationhood,

is this the 19th Century that I’m watching on T.V
the dear old queen of England handing out those M.B.E’s
a member of the British Empire that doesn’t sound too good to me

Gilbert & George are taking the piss aren’t they
Gilbert & George you’re taking the piss.
what could be more British than here’s a picture of me bum
Gilbert & George YOU’RE TAKING THE PISS

take down the Union Jack it clashes with the sunset
and pile up all those history books but don’t throw them away
they might just have some clues about what it really means
to be an Anglo hyphen Saxon in England.co.uk
to be an Anglo hyphen Saxon in England.co.uk”

(Billy Bragg 2002)

musicology #106

sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #29

(The Style Council – With Everything To Lose)

penultimate slice from the Paul Weller tribute selection and the second of two from his time spent in the Style Council, (the Humble Pie years), along with Mick Talbot formaly of, (relatively unknown), UKPressure band the Merton Parkas and ‘keeping time’ the young Steve White, (didnt the Pie have an unknown young drummer?),

not suggesting that this was the way he planned it..just another example of synchronicity I suppose.

this cut taken from the album..Our Favourite Shop, (not only a great album but, for me, one of the best LP covers of all time !!), reminds me of having just left school and going on holiday in what was then called Yugoslavia. this album was the soundtrack for that holiday and the few months that surrounded it, (memories are made of this), there are at least six pieces on the album that could have been the final choice and there’s nothing between them so I just picked this one mainly for the lyrical content..

Paul Weller at his poetic best..telling it like it was, (and is still)

“From the playground to the wasteground, Hope ends at 17
Sweeping floors and filling shelves, Forced into government schemes
11 years spent to dig out ditches, Forget your schoolday dreams
Guarantees and lie-filled speeches, But nothings what it seems
Qualified and patronised and with everything to lose

No choice or chance for the future, The rich enjoy less tax
Dress the girls in pretty pink, The shit goes to the blacks
A generation’s heart torn out, And covered up the facts
The only thing they’ll understand Is a wall against their backs
The only hope now left for those, with everything to lose
with everything to lose, with everything to lose

In desperation empty eyes, Signed up and thrown away
There’s drugs replacing dignity, The short sharp shock repaid
There’ll be no money if you dare to question Working the Tory way
The truth is up there carved in stone, Where 21 dead now lay
A family’s loss for a few pounds saved, With everything to lose

With everything to lose, with everything to lose
With everything to lose, everything to lose…

lyrics Don Weller….lyrics.

message received, (in ’85), and understood.

musicology #105

sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #28

(The Jam – Start)

If themusicologist could slow time down and make a week last a month it might be enough to do the six/six/six artists justice…as already mentioned it’s a challenge to select such a small number of tunes from such great catalogues of work.

Take the Jam as an example, for me, there’s at least 20 cuts that deserve an outing on themusicologist and to whittle those down to 2 … well, lets just say that it’s as tough as old boots.

on this album, (Sound Affects), there’s five cuts here that I would like to, (and probably will over the years), throw down on themusicologist as well as another five albums, (+ singles), to ‘choose’ from so what strategy am I going to employ? … none. just going to throw ’em as I feel ’em.

this 1980 selection I remember from me days as a young blade, at the start of the teenage years when I was spending a lot of time knocking about the West End, (especially Soho and Covent Garden), as a second generation Mod.

I say ‘second generation’ because both my parents were first generation London Mod/ernists, so we, (‘the fox’ and I), grew up steeped in the culture, music and attitude of Englands first, (and most important), Youth movement as a birthright.

There were other influences of course such as Skin/Suedehead, ‘Hippie’ and, (later), Punk exposure through Aunts, Uncles and Cousins, (you know who you are), but Mod/ernist was and is the one where my heart resides.

So before I get too romantic and spend too much of me precious ‘time’ strolling down memory lane hold this one which, for some reason, always reminds me of Greek Street, (in Soho), the Thatcher years, and running battles with other groups of Youths at a time of great social unrest.

older and wiser, I now see that them days were just another stage of the ‘divide and conquer/rule’ strategy that poli-tricks always employs…you know what I mean…black against white, christian against muslim, rich against poor…the list is as long as yer arm…(brother Weller certainly knew and has always sung and wrote about it) so with that in mind..

“It’s not important for you to know my name,
Nor I to know yours,
If we communicate for two minutes only,
It will be enough,

For knowing that someone in this world,
Feels as desperate as me,
And what you give is what you get,

It doesn’t matter if we never meet again,
What we have said will always remain,
If we get through for two minutes only,
It will be a start,

For knowing that someone in this life,
Loves with a passion called hate,
And what you give is what you get,

If I never ever see you, (If I never ever see you),
If I never ever see you, (If I never ever see you),
If I never ever see you again,

If I never ever see you, (see you, see you),
If I never ever see you, (see you, see you),
If I never ever see you again,

And what you give is what you get,
And what you give is what you get,
And what you give is what you get,
And what you give is what you get,
And what you give is what you get,
And what you give is what you get.”

just like to say that we, (me and Mr Weller), did and do communicate through his music for many minutes, over many years and it has always been a real pleasure…

musicology #102

sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #25

(The Jam – I Got By In Time)

this week on themusicologist it’s the turn of the second most influential artists to have crossed my heart and mind.. Paul Weller who, along with Curtis ranks as the artist whose musicology has had the most impact on my life especially during my formative years.

as already mentioned, In The City by the Jam was the first serious piece of music I owned, (Christmas 1977, thanks to me mum and dad), and from that day to this the cat has always held a special place in my life. From the energy of the early Jam days, through to the social poetry of the later Jam works..on to his time with the Style Council and beyond his songs were always there for me as a guide and shoulder to lean on for support when it seemed like no one understood me trials and tribulations..

very similar in essence to Steve Marriott for obvious reasons, Paul Weller has never stood still and has been a musical, (and for me social), force for 30 years !!, (most of my life in fact), making him second only to Curtis in longevity.

Well do I remember in 1982 buying the Town Called Malice 12″ as he called time on the Jam which, to the Mod revivalists at the time was incomprehensible and didnt earn him much support. I saw it differently because to me he was doing exactly what should have been done by a true Mod/ernist and respond to the new music and fashion that was on the streets of London..I’m talking about ‘Casual/Soul Boy’.

that was what was happening back then, (along with the emergence of Electro and ‘Sleng Teng Dancehall), and Weller knew that that was where it was at and that the Jam weren’t capable of making the transition.

Mod has always had two aspects..

1:the vintage led cats who were ‘nostalgic’

2:the ‘son of mod’ of the early 80’s who had grown up with and were inspired by the Mod/ernist attitude, razor sharp style, love of contempory music and attention to detail. These were the cats who took up the modernist flag and carried it forward. themusicologist was there and trust me…that’s how it happened.

anyway..back to the music..this one from said album, (In The City 1977), still does it for me 30 years later…imagine how that sounded to a 9 year old !!

musicology #88

sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #11

(Humble Pie Feat Steve Marriott – Strange Days)

penultimate piece of musicology magic from Mr Marriott and friends…can’t believe it’s gone so quick.

one of the many things I ‘love’ about the geezahh is his obvious dedication and commitment to communicating using the ‘universal language’. Not only as a vocalist or musician, (could, and did, play most of them), but also as a performer.

most people can sing, (some can play instruments), but what seperates the legends from the rest of us is how they deliver…Steve Marriott delivers as good as anyone and deserves to be ranked in the uppermost branches of the musical tree so that the sun can shine on him from morning to night..

hold this piece of 1971 Rock, Rhythm&Blues from one of the great English bands..Humble Pie .. telling it like it is…quality piece of musicology. a Glyn Jones/Humble Pie production..lyrics courtesy of Steve Marriott.

musicology #87

sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #10

(Small Faces – All Or Nothing)

couldnt throw down a Steve Marriott tribute without laying down the piece that kick started my appreciation of the brothers vocal and soulful qualities.

while not prolific in their collaborative output there’s no denying the Small Faces impact on contempory music and this one gets into the tribute for two reasons

1:Mod anthem

2: brings back memories of being 11/12 and 13 years old as a second generation Mod .. ahhhhhh .. music brings back so many memories..

so without further words hold this piece from the Mod band with the Mod classic, pinpointing the evolution and metamorphosis in the autumn of 1966 from American Rhythm & Blues to English Rock & Blues…

strangely, (or probobly not), one that my kids enjoy and sing along to just as another Mod revival begins to take shape in 2008

musicology #86

sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #9

(Steve Marriott – Help Me Through The Day)

What / Who Is Mod? … for themusicologist there are only a handful of cats who can lay claim to the title. one of them is Steve Marriott …

Why? because he lived life to the full, often at the extremes, always on the vanguard and didn’t compromise his personal values. Selfish? .. probably, Obsessed…almost definately, Dedicated….100%

Not suggesting that these qualities are the only, (or even most important), Mod credentials but if you dig deep enough they are, in themusicologist’s opinion ones that are ever present….another vital ingredient would be the love of Soul, Blues, Rhythm & Blues…without this you can’t be Mod !!

the aim is still to let the music do the talking and believe me I’m trying but the six/six/six is inspiring themusicologist to ‘nail me colours to the mast‘ ..

hold this cut from his solo album, simply titled Steve Marriott, (not his choice of title I hasten to add), recorded in 1975…pucker

musicology #85

sixartist,sixtune,sixweekspecial #8

(Humble Pie feat Steve Marriott – Desperation)

Round two of the Stevie Marriott selection finds the man dissilusioned with fame and looking for some ‘greener grass’, (in my experience a very common Mod trait), first and foremost the young man craved, and deserved, respect as a musician/performer/vocalist which was not possible, in his opinion, with the Small Faces as they were viewed as a bit of a pop/novelty band at the time.

His passion for music far outweighed his desire for fame, although as a street rat on a paltry ‘bobby moore’ a week with a healthy appetite borne out of the only authentic 60’s revolution, (the consumer one), he needed some ‘reddies in the bin‘

This cut, (a Steppenwolf cover written by John Kay), is taken from the 1969 album As Safe As Yesterday Is, the first recorded outing with the band he put together for Peter Frampton…Humble Pie. consisting of Jerry Shirley on Drums, Greg Ridley on Bass and Steve on, (second lead), guitar..as well as vocal duties of course….