'Saw a guy in the window, with a crewcut staring back...'
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To say Fred Cornog is an enigma is a bit like saying it can sometimes be wet and windy in Glasgow. An understatement of epic proportions. Cornog's life story should really be a Play for Today. Or a book published by Fourth Estate. Possibly both. At the very least, his life could be transported into one of those arty StudioCanal films with the lead role going to, perhaps, Cillian Murphy. Anyway, this glorious track featured on the A-side of the first recording East River Pipe offered Sarah Records - it was #75 in the #100 Sarah catalogue and entitled 'Helmet On'. The band - that is, Cornog - went on to record one further 7" single for Sarah and a couple of mini-albums and a full-length album as well. Again, all the long-players were given catalgoue numbers from the Bristol bus timetable of the day. You know, when Cornog put his mind to it, he really worked hard and those songs and lyrics just seemed to spill out of him beautifully. As for this particular track... well, it has been analysed time and time again but the message seems pretty clear to me: there is no need for cryptic subtext. It is, at heart, just a song to saviour and play again and again with Bose headphones on and a warm latte in your hand; ideally as you move your way through Queens, NY, watching interesting people go about their busy days and lonely nights. Fred might bump into you, and tell you to watch where you are going.
East River Pipe - 'Helmet On' (4.18)
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Comrade Colin, Sunday 13 November 2011
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