BACK......AFTER 9 LOST DAYS

It was away back on the morning of the first ever Blog Rocking Beats that a problem developed with my phone line that left me without internet access. Without going into too much details - suffice to say that BT are a bunch of useless and incompetent twats - it was only this afternoon, thanks to my 74-year old dad doing a bit of emergency house-sitting that service was restored.

The postings that have appeared were all written in advance. This is something I've done for a while now just in case this sort of thing happens or some other unforeseen event or emergency occurs. Thing was, the planned Sunday Correspondent pieces for the last two weeks hadn't been posted, and I'd left last Monday free to talk about the first BRB night. So here goes, a week late, but better than not at all.

Drew did a superb job bringing it altogether, and I can never thank him enough. All I did was turn up with three huge bags of that held 180 items of vinyl - 7", 12" and LPs alike - way way way more than I was ever going to play, but that's because I wanted to see how it was all going before slipping the needle into a particular groove.

Anyway, there wasn't a huge crowd, and the majority of them were friends of Drew, every single one of who was among the nicest 100 folk I've met in my entire life. From my part, Mrs Villain and one of her pals came along as did The Sense Collective, a colleague from work and her other half and, this is where I still shake my head in amazement, one long-time reader, occasional commentator and part of the team that wrote for the blog in the Merry Month Of May series in 2009 came along, with a couple of mates and said hello.

So thank you Son Of The Rock. You're a truly wonderful human being, and I'm sorry I didn't have the records that you wanted me to play with me on the night. Hope it didn't spoil things too much.

A few Flying Duck regulars came along, most of whom stayed on for a while which was hugely pleasing. As far as I could see, not one person came in and immediately turned on their heels and walked out. Which was both pleasing and a relief.

I wouldn't ever claim that Fatboy Jim was DJing on the night in question. It was more like someone had given me two nice record players with big speakers and I got to choose what was being aired for much of the evening. And it was fairly predictable, although the comments I got on the night were favourable.

Drew on the other hand is bloody good at this thing. Not only has he an ear for a great tune and an ability to make them run seamlessly into one another, his eclectic taste made for a hugely enjoyable evening.

ANCB from A North Country Boy was also in attendance. He was supposed to be part of the evening, but he cried-off thinking that myself and Drew were some sort of experts and didn't fancy being shown up. When he realised just how unprofessionally we were approaching it, he was more than happy to delve into some of my vinyl and take a little stint behind the wheels of steel.

(Our other musketeer - Gareth from How Does That One Go Again? - was at a wedding and couldn't make it)

Drew did the first hour, then I followed on before ANCB did a 30 minute stint. Drew then did a tremendous hour or so that actually got a few folk dancing. My next stint got a couple of dancers as well as The Sense Collective and Mrs Villain singing along to some of the songs. for the final hour, Drew and myself traded tunes - neither of us knew what the other was going to put on the deck and the other had to find something suitable that followed it - right up to the last three tunes which we had agreed on beforehand.

Here's the set-list in full:-

Drew

BMX Bandits – Serious Drugs
Peter Parker – Swallow The Rockets
Crystal Stilts – Love Is A Wave
The Fall – Blindness
The Kingfishers – Make Me Sad
Jenny Lewis – Carpetbaggers
Lone Justice – After The Flood
Pavement – Summer Babe (Winter version)
Bobby Cook – Gone So Far
Dr Rubberfunk – Fantasy Funk Band
The Staple Singers – I’ll Take You There
Smith & Mighty – Walk On By
Primal Scream – Uptown (Long After The Disco Is Over)

JC

The Clash – Radio Clash
Teenage Fanclub - Life's a Gas
Associates – 18 Carat Love Affair
Fatima Mansions – Blues For Ceaucescu
Electronic – Getting Away With It
Blur – Popscene
Orange Juice – L.O.V.E. Love
Kirsty McColl – You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby
The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again
Johnny Cash – Ring Of Fire
Friends Again – Sunkissed
Scritti Politti – Asylums In Jerusalem
Paul Haig – Never Give Up (Party Party)

ANCB

The Clash – Bankrobber
James – Come Home
Cameo – Word Up
Human League – Love Action
The Cure – Love Cats
The Jam – Down In The Tube Station At Midnight

Drew

Squeeze – Up The Junction
The Jags – Back Of My Hand
Specials – Too Much Too Young (fucked and pulled off about 30 seconds in)
Amy Winehouse – Monkey Man
The Clash – White Man In Hammersmith Palais
Battle – Demons
Ida Maria – Stella
Shout Out Louds – Very Loud
Inspiral Carpets – I Want You
Velvet Underground – White Light White Heat
Pastels – Crawl Babies
Airborne Toxic Event – Moving On
Frightened Rabbit – Backwards Walk
Meursault – A Few Kind Words

JC

Young Knives – Up All Night
Magazine – A Song From Under The Floorboards
Morrissey – Last Of The Famous International Playboys
Bourgie Bourgie – Breaking Point
The Style Council – Speak Like A Child
Aztec Camera – Walk Out To Winter (single version)
Pixies – Monkey Gone To Heaven
REM – Don’t Go Back To Rockville
Go Betweens – Streets Of Your Town
Camper Van Beethoven – Take The Skinheads Bowling
New Order – Age Of Consent
Orange Juice - Felicity
Teenage Fanclub – Everything Flows

Drew

The Pale Fountains – From Across The Kitchen Table
Woodentops – Good Thing
Human Beinz – Nobody But Me
Jackie Wilson – Because Of You
Johnny Boy – You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes And You Get What You Deserve
Elvis Presley – Crawfish (Pilooski edit)
The Cramps - Can Your Pussy Do The Dog
Bang Bang Machine – Geek Love

JC/Drew

Aztec Camera – Oblivious
Belle & Sebastian – Lazy Line Painter Jane
The Bodines – Therese
The Slow Club – Trophy Room
The Smiths – Hand In Glove
The Wedding Present – Kennedy
The Jesus And Mary Chain – Upside Down
Ballboy – All The Records On The Radio Are Shite
Orange Juice – Blueboy
Jonathan Richman And The Modern Loves – That Summer Feeling
Bessie Banks – Go Now

And as the clock struck midnight, we slinked off into the evening vowing that we would do it all again on Saturday 11th July. Well, at least myself and ANCB said we would as Drew and Gareth are on holiday.

Which gives us a few problems....

(1) Drew was the only one who vaguely knew what he was doing - but I reckon I took enough in on the night to cope next time out

(2) Drew was the person who attracted most of the crowd. Next time, I know most of the folk I'd be talking to and asking to come along will also be away from Glasgow as it is slap bang in the middle of the school holidays

(3) I reckon it clashes with T in The Park which will keep some folk away

(4) Who wants to be in a basement club on warm sunny nights?

So, I'm worried that no-one will be there. Therefore I need all the Scottish bloggers to get the word round and lend a hand with spreading the news. More on that nearer the time.....

And that is my take on one of the most nervous but ultimately fun nights of my entire life. And I can't wait to do it again.

mp3 : Au Revoir Simone - The Disco Song

Happy Listening.