Distance 5km(ish). Time 23:24
Good strong midweek run on a full stomach. Felt above my
usual pace throughout although the time was a little disappointing. I had
expected closer to 23 minutes. No worries though, still a decent run. Interval
training tomorrow which I’m now starting to really look forward too as I reckon
it’s doing me some good in terms of strength and stamina.
Great Genius playlist tonight too. A few iPod glitches that
skipped a few tracks but what it got right it really got right for the short
run.
I’d been rooting through my vinyl today and found The Eight
Legged Groove Machine album by the Wonder Stuff and although I didn’t start
exactly from there it gave me an idea…
The Wonder Stuff – Welcome to the Cheap Seats – From their
much maligned, folk-flavoured “Never Loved Elvis” album. I played it to death.
They were, at their peak (of which I reckon this was) the best English pop band
going. Quirky, successful, punky in attitude, psychedelically melodic and
playful.
Pop Will Eat Itself – Def Con One. Another Kirk classic.
From a time when no one really knew what samples were (possibly why they got
away with so many classics). It differed from a lot of the other sampling based
music in that it took, for one, The Stooges killer riff from “I Wanna Be Your
Dog” and spliced it all up with The Twilight Zone theme, Lipps Inc’s Funky Town
amongst a host of others.
Dodgy – Saying Out For The Summer – Britpop’s also rans.
They never got the success their lesser able peers got, possibly because they
didn’t really sell an image loaded with attitude and seemd to be more about
having a good time and making classic pop/rock. Their first three albums are as
good as anything from that period if you want Beatlesy pop of the highest
order. Great playing, harmonies and arrangements.
Saint Etienne – You’re in A Bad Way – As good as they got
this one, for me. A sound that evokes Joe Meek’s spacey future-pop with kitchen
sink lyrical references and crystal clear production. I listened to these a lot
in the early to mid 90s but it wasn’t until their classic album Tiger Bay that
I thought they really nailed it consistently on an LP. Their early efforts
seemed more like sketches and collages but then a lot of pop was a bit
unfocussed in those post-acid years. Their latest album Words and Music is
pretty decent although I’ve yet to give it a real chance.
Suede – Metal Mickey – A sound that. In hindsight, wasn’t
too far removed from that of Oasis in their early days More sophisticated and,
indeed, syncopated but relying on those thrashy, trashy guitar strums. It took
me a while to really get into thses and it was The Wild Ones that did it from
their Dog Man Star album. I think it may have made me cry. Anyway, the follow
up album Coming Up was a favourite of mine, despite it not having the undoubted
skills of Bernard Butler on board. It was, again, just great pop music and they
managed to rein in some of Brett’s vocal extremities which I always found a bit
contrived. Kenneth Williams sings David Bowie.
Black Grape – Reverend Black Grape – Highlight of the
playlist. I saw these at the Leeds T&C in the mid 90s and it is still one
of the best gigs I’ve seen. Heavy, locked in funk and a unique sound generally.
It still sounds pretty anarchic despite it’s obviously derivative elements.
Would probably still rather listen to these than much of Happy Mondays output,
although I have my love for some of that too.
Julian Cope – World Shut Your Mouth – I’m still convinced
this is the template Kurt Cobain used for Smells Like Teen Spirit. Check out
the structure/arrangement – other than the drums included on the intro it’s pretty bang on
for the first couple of minutes at least.
Anyway, Copey can do much wrong in most people’s ears but
when he’s right all else is wrong. There are a couple of great tracks from this
album too. Trampolene is a cracker as Frank Carson may well have said.
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