The Patrick Hamilton Appreciation Society discussion
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Dexys/Dexys Midnight Runners
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Did I ever tell about the time I caused Kevin Rowland to storm out of a venue we were both in?
If so, apologies, if not....
We were chatting about this and that, at a Northern Soul event in Hove c2005, and I mentioned something about his "heyday" referring to the Too Rye Aye era. He didn't like it. Not at all, He said to me "this is my fuckin heyday" and then turned on his heels and walked straight out of the venue. And that was that. The end of a beautiful friendship.
If I ever find myself in conversation with Kevin Rowland, I'll refer to his heyday and see if he acknowledges it having been 2005. Something tells me he might be one of those with lifelong heydays.
"Kev loves a turn up"Not as much as Lucy does! Crikey. <3
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Hot tip: when meeting a pop star always assume that their best work and greatest triumphs still await them
Still, fairplay to Kevin, he has indeed pulled off an unlikely triumphant return with this latest Dexys incarnation. "Let The Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul" is no "One Day I'm Going to Soar", but is still very enjoyable and will probably emerge as one of my favourite albums of 2016.
David wrote: "Kev loves a turn up"I reckon if you can't fault a middle-aged feller for thinking his best work and greatest triumph lie ahead of him, then nor can you fault him for buying his dungarees eight inches too long in length in the belief that he's gonna grow taller in a few years' time.
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I Love You (Listen to This)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPc-F...
....and it's been on heavy rotation today
What an epic song. Truly it's life affirming stuff
News in from Pete Williams today (apologies for the formatting, I just copied and pasted from Pete's e-mail).:"Pete Williams new album and spring Live Shows..
Here’s a few dates folks..more will follow along with news of my recently completed album..
Thanks for your continued interest and support and I hope to see some of you at one of my shows in 2018, it’s going to be a great year.
Birmingham REP Studio Just confirmed for April 14th.
Wolverhampton Slade Rooms 26 Jan at 8.00 with Liz Berry poet. http://www.wolvescivic.co.uk/-/show-d... (opening Wolverhampton Literary festival)
Prince Albert Stroud 8 Feb http://www.theprincealbertstroud.co.u...
Bewdley St George’s Hall 9 Feb https://www.thehall-bewdley.org.uk/co...
Birmingham REP Studio April 14 ticketing will be set up soon through my website and the REP TheatreIn the meantime,Heres a clip from last time there.
.https://youtu.be/NS7PcQiOrTA
And, coincidentally, looking back and seeing forgotten discussions about To Love Somebody, I made up this playlist on Spotify a few weeks ago, which I'm happy to share with you:
https://open.spotify.com/user/1143961...
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Thank you kindly
No solid details yet, but the new Pete Williams album is slated for a 1 June 2018 release. Sure to be worth looking forward to!
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Looking forward to the next instalment
Having been fortunate enough to had a sneak preview of H.O.L.L.A.N.D, the forthcoming Pete Williams album, I can assure you that there's much to look forward to upon its release in late July. I’m comfortable saying that it’s his best yet, which should be taken as very high praise indeed. An absolute masterpiece.
Thank you, Mark. The album’s released on 27 July, and I hope to attend his show in Middlesbrough that night en route to a week’s holiday in Yorkshire.
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I can't wait to get my first listen. Did you Pledge for it? Or was it one of your myriad industry contacts who procured you a copy?
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Great planning - bravo Sir
In related news, I'm going to the Cotswolds in August and have somehow coincided it with a trip to see Forest Green Rovers vs Oldham
Nigeyb wrote: "I can't wait to get my first listen. Did you Pledge for it? Or was it one of your myriad industry contacts who procured you a copy?"It was The Great Man Himself who sent me a private listening link. I must have listened through the entire album seven or eight times already -- it’s that good!
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1979 black woolly hat doffed in your westerly direction, Mark
I’ll be keen to hear your opinions of the album when you hear it. As far as I can tell, it really fills a huge gap in the market -- classy, mature, soulful, not a weak track on the album. If I have one criticism, it’s that it’s not a double album!
That clip’s great, isn’t it? Hopefully he’ll be gigging in Brighton and you’ll have the opportunity to see him.
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Man, it’d be simple to argue that the new Pete Williams album is a career high point. Absolutely stellar, not a weak track. Twice Around The Bend and On A Night Such As This stand out as classics, even after just a handful of listens. Anybody else knock an ear to it yet? If not, stop wasting time...
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Money well spent, I promise! Will be eager to hear your thoughts after a few listens. He really fills a wide-open gap in the market, and does it in such a classy and mature way that renders his stuff quite timeless.
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I'll report back once I've immersed myself in it
Quick service! Very convinced that you’ll love it, but will be interested in hearing the particulars.
Apart from review CDs, it's been on almost constant rotation during my daily commute. He's got some sort of (jazz?) major to minor melodic thing going on that he's always had, but in common with other unique voices like Ron Sexsmith, it's still an endorphin-shaker every time he deploys it.As someone domiciled in the north of Scotland, I have to say that Caledonia is my earworm, but the level of quality is exemplary throughout.
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That is followed by the pared back Fondly somehow makes it even better. A great vehicle for his husky, world weary voice.
Mark wrote: "Money well spent, I promise!"
Yes Sir.
David wrote: "...the level of quality is exemplary throughout...."
Yes Sir.
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Originally released in 1999, “My Beauty” was the second solo album from Dexys/Dexys Midnight Runners’ lead singer Kevin Rowland. The album was mostly unfairly received by critics at the time, but in the years since has come to enjoy cult status. This reissue is the first time “My Beauty” has been available on vinyl and on CD with its originally intended track-listing.
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/k...
Nigeyb wrote: "Kevin Rowland's My Beauty is getting a rerelease ..."Not a bad release, given that it’s a covers album. Our Kev was in fine form vocally, if not sartorially. Interesting to see that Cherry Red is finally starting to issue releases on vinyl.
The times they are a-changin’ [back to how they were twenty five years ago].
It’s been on pre-order since Cherry Red’s e-mail came in at lunchtime. Its release was announced at the end of a Tim Burgess Twitter thing discussing Searching For The Young Soul Rebels a couple of weeks back. I know that both formats have been remastered, so it’ll probably be necessary to buy a third CD copy to get Kevin’s always-informative sleeve notes.
Further Burgess Twitter listens/discussions for Too Rye-Ay and Don’t Stand Me Down, apparently. Good times.
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I too like My Beauty - some well executed and heartfelt versions. Not sure I'm a big enough fan to buy another version but, that said, when David reports back that it's an audio miracle I'll likely dive in
I have deliberately never opened a Twitter account due to its bear-pit nature, so have missed the Tim Burgess community listens and commentary from band members involved (that was tempting, I must admit). The Dexys’ strong devoted were visibly enthused by it, so the Soul Rebels one seems to have been worthwhile. Tim seems to be a force for good. We need more of that.
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https://youtu.be/r54fZikFOu8
Kevin Rowland - Concrete and Clay
Well you did warn me! I only lasted about 30 seconds I'm afraid.Why, just why?
Concrete and Clay by Unit 4 + 2 was one of the first records I bought.
I would genuinely like to know what was going on though.
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I doubt anyone can explain away that video though, which is so full of missteps and distasteful imagery.
Put Kevin's version of Concrete and Clay up against the Unit 4+2 version and it's no contest.
Talking of which I came across a video of them filmed performing it on the construction site of the Barbican in London in 1965. Pathé Pictorial uses the setting as a literal interpretation of the song during the building works.
Now this one is well worth a watch and is memorable for all the right reasons...
https://youtu.be/zstZkoGyZS4
Simpler times eh?
A bunch of clean cut lads in a wholesome video :-)
Nigeyb wrote: "Once seen, this can never be unseen..."Looking on the bright side, I think we can all agree how thankful we are that it was posted as 240p and not high definition.
It was a bit of a shock seeing the first promo poster, but the contents of the My Beauty bootleg cassette sent to me by the late Neil Warburton, editor of the fanzine Keep On Running, were pretty special in The Greatest Love Of All, Getting Better, and Rag Doll. Kevin explained his reasoning (I do suspect impact-seeking though) for ‘men’s dresses’) and whilst I firmly remain raimented in 1973 Rory Gallagher paper boy garb, I do understand that they have been taken up by more fashonable people than me. Yeah, right.
I was never a fan of Concrete and Clay, even in my impressionable mid-60s pop hunger. Dexys’ fans do opine that Kev covered it as a tribute to the rhythm of the song which found its way into the 1982 big hit.
Mod
I have to confess that I really like Concrete and Clay. I been singing it in the shower of late. Good point about the rhythm David, I'd never noticed that before but it's unmistakable now you mention it.
Were the versions of the tunes on your cassette, the same that found their way onto the album? Or were they demos or alternative versions?
Kevin's version of The Greatest Love Of All gets me every time
Change ‘Hunky Dory’ to ‘Hunky Dexy’* in two steps, by changing a letter each time...*not necessarily my opinion
At Leeds Grand Theatre, after a 350-mile last-minute dash on 25 October 2003, I awaited the “just order dresses” line of ‘Liars A To E” with great interest. It had become “just leave a message”, and has thus remained in its live performance.
Fully in keeping with the manifesto-like peroration to ‘The Waltz’ on that tour, “You may notice that some of the songs we play tonight are a bit different to how you remember them. That’s because we’ve changed them. The way we look at it is this...the whole world has changed, so why shouldn’t we? Why SHOULDN’T we?”
Cue for adoring rapture from the Strong Devoted.
Nigey, the cassette in question was merely a recording from the CD promo of My Beauty which Kevin Rowland had arranged to have sent to Neil. That meant Thunder Road, pulled from the intended track listing after objection’s from The Boss’s management, was included. Everything else is identical to the CD release. The promo version of the album used to be readily available online, or at record fairs, for anyone desirous of hearing that screen door slam in Oldbury, W Midlands. The track is reinstated to the upcoming Cherry Red release. This came up on my Google newsfeed today:
https://www.stereogum.com/2090493/the...
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