Sunday, 7 February 2016

My bestest most favouritest songs ever ever - part 1

I can't do lists... certainly not hierarchical ones, I don't have Top Tens, etc. in anything.  But when it comes to music there are some songs which just endure - which always make me smile and still give me that special feeling.  It's hard to analyse exactly why, isn't it?  - maybe it's about the context as much as anything? - what it aroused in me on hearing for the very first time, where I was, what I was doing, thinking, etc.  Sometimes it's as simple as just having a particular penchant for a heavy bass-line or a hooky chorus, one common element in different and often disparate tracks which always satisfies something inside.  I've been through many phases and into several genres in over 40 years of listening to music (oh jeez) and as with most things in life I don't think you want the same again and again or forever, not the same food nor the same clothes, etc. so that also applies to this  - but there will always be the special examples which just never lose their original appeal.

I'm going to pick out a few here from time to time - expect a very varied selection!

To kick off, it's Modern Politics by The Panik from November 1977 (the first track on their  'It Won't Sell!' EP).   When I first heard this at the time of its release I just couldn't believe the sound of that bass rumbling its way through and I loved its stop-start punctuation, plus the (slightly over-ambitious) guitar solo...  it sounded so serious, so raw, but relatively 'slow' (hmm, sort of) for '77 punk, not too ramalama.  The band came from Manchester and listening to it again now I'm reminded of early Joy Division / Warsaw.  I've just looked them up in the excellent book 'No More Heroes' by Alex Ogg and indeed there is a connection: the record was co-produced by band manager Rob Gretton, plus drummer Steve Brotherdale  also played in Warsaw.  Apparently at one time they even tried to convince Ian Curtis to be The Panik's singer.



One to blow the cobwebs away - play loud (of course) and feel 14 again, listen here:

The Panik: Modern Politics


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18 comments:

  1. Bel Mondo7 February 2016 at 14:01

    Totally see the Warsaw/Joy Division thing - last time I heard this would have been about 78 tho !I think that Joy Division would have been better off with a few guitar breaks like that too (heresy I know...). The lyrics hold up quite well too, I shall be silently running 'Don't give me modern politics...' through my head every time I listen to or watch the news for weeks now.

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    1. C8 February 2016 at 13:28

      I know just what you mean about the lyrics - I was thinking exactly the same, little has changed. Modern politics...or (gasp!) nearly 40-year old politics?!
      By the way apparently the pic on the sleeve is from a 1964 copy of Life magazine featuring (I quote) 'a parade of strutting gays'. I remember when I first saw it I just assumed it was contemporary. Looking at it again now it looks like something from the '80s. I love how that sleeve isn't obviously 'punk' to modern eyes but how it absolutely did seem it at the time.

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  2. Swiss Adam7 February 2016 at 19:27

    That is a good one. Looking forward to the rest

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    1. C8 February 2016 at 11:02

      Glad you enjoyed it SA. I'm getting excited about posting some more.

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  3. C8 February 2016 at 10:54

    Oh no, I've gone all hi-tec (!) on the music link and now you can't listen to it - typical!
    I completely relate to your scratchy tracks taped from John Peel etc. Love the box recorder and mic thing too. When I got my own hi-fi for my bedroom I spent hours with my finger poised on the clunky old Record and Pause buttons of the cassette deck, because for some reason I only wanted the music and didn't include Peel's intros and outros. In retrospect of course I wish I had.

    The 70s disco bender sounds perfectly fine, I hope you had the silver glitter to hand too. I find that a lot of music which didn't sound so good at the time sounds so much better now; I think I dismissed a lot because it didn't fit what I wanted to hear at the time and all the associations were 'wrong', so my taste was very subjective. One of the nice things about getting older is losing those sort of prejudices I think!

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  4. The Swede8 February 2016 at 14:11

    I was miles away, half expecting Peel's voice to come in at the end...'that was The Panik on Rainy City Records and here's The Cortinas...'.
    A punchy little time-capsule of a record, which I, like Bel Mondo, probably haven't heard since 1978. It's wonderful what memories and feelings can be evoked by particular pieces of music. I'm looking forward to reading more of yours.

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    1. C9 February 2016 at 17:52

      Yes, very evocative of Peel isn't it?
      Glad you enjoyed and I'll have fun digging out a selection of tracks that have similarly endured.

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  5. Brian8 February 2016 at 18:00

    I have a song up today from when I was 14 years old. Friggin' Bananarama. Would we have been friends? Anyway, this is a new one for me, but certainly something more up my alley now than Bananarama. Thanks for the introduction. This is going to be fun. Can't wait for the next installment.

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    1. C9 February 2016 at 17:56

      I'm sure we'd have been fine, Brian. One of my sweetest male friends at college had long hair and liked heavy metal. We dealt with it!
      I hope you'll enjoy some more; I have quite a few tracks listed in readiness, even though I don't do lists ;-)

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  6. Anonymous9 February 2016 at 07:54

    Although I've come across the band's name in various tomes over the years I don't think I've ever heard this before but it sums up the era perfectly. Love that rumbling bass. The sound of a great moment in time.

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    1. C9 February 2016 at 17:59

      Yes it's a good sum-up on many levels I think - that fantastic bass, the vocal delivery, the almost-but-not-quite-there guitar expertise and those lyrics. I recall just how it stood out to me at the time, that's probably why I still find it so listenable.

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  7. C9 February 2016 at 17:53

    That's really heartwarming - a tale of loyalty between friends over-riding youth cult clique-iness!

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  8. John Serpico10 February 2016 at 09:55

    Good choice, C. For me it's the bass being well up in the mix that causes it to rise above and stand out from others. I always think you're at your best when writing about music so I'm looking forward (along with everyone else, I suspect) to you airing more of your favourites.

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    1. C10 February 2016 at 11:00

      Thanks John. You never know - I never know! - what I'm going to put on this blog next but music is a running theme, I'm looking forward to posting other favourites from across genres and decades, hope you enjoy them too.

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  9. Chris13 February 2016 at 13:28

    I agree hierarchical lists are tricky and ever-changing. I haven't delved into 70s punk as much as I would like to yet, but I enjoyed the gem you shared and interesting to read why it's important to you. Hope you continue the series.

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    1. C13 February 2016 at 23:06

      Thanks Chris. 70s punk was my first real, meaningful foray into music as a young teenager and was hugely important in my life, it came along at absolutely the right time for me, and was a significant part of my identity! I'll be interested to know your thoughts on what you find.

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  10. Old Pa's Corner1 March 2016 at 12:35

    Remembr that one great choice...get that top 10 sorted out

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    1. C1 March 2016 at 22:24

      Haha, sorry but top 10s are definitely out of my league!

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