Indie archeology: lost tunes

Lifelong learning :
Kill Devil Hills

I was listening to the radio just now and they were talking about moments of genius and Eoin Colfer was talking about the Wright Brothers and how their break through was basically based on lots of testing and also by using bicycle technology instead of boat based designs like everyone else was. Now that piece of info may stay with you, it may not. What made we sit up though was the mention of “Kill Devil hills”  now I had always thought they tested their planes at Kitty Hawk and so had never heard of this more specific place.

“So what” you say, well Kill Devil Hills is the name of super obscure c86 indie band the lone 12 inch single of which I own.

They were mates of mates who we went to see at some obscure north London poly students’ union one rainy Sunday night. I didn’t ask where they got their name at the time I think I was too impressed by meeting someone who was actually in a band that had a record out to say much at all. Also the Comperé was Eddie Tenpole Tudor which was also oddly impressive at the time. Don't they look great in the picture!

Anyway like most of my records in those years I played this single to death for a few months and then have carried it around from flat to flat ever since until that is about ten minutes ago when I played it again (it’s clicking away in the run out groove as I type I must get up and turn it over).

I see as ever that Ally (Ms Dusty 7) has been there already leaving a comment 4 years ago on an Italian indiepop site about the KDH! The facts about the band on that site fit the bill from what I remember; sadly the mp3 files seem to have gone over there. So here’s mine for posterity. It sounds better recorded than your average c86 fare. It the one thing I’d change about those anorak clad Xeroxed flier filled days is some remastering of all those fey superstars with a bit more bass and tad less treble!

Anyway anyone else learnt anything this week?







What comes after : Kil Devil Hills mp3



Poison : Kill Devil Hills mp3


Rolling: Kill Devil Hills mp3

The New Order of New Order

Review of new Delphic lp (which is winging it's way to BLTP towers as we speak) in the Guardian only a year late and yet it comes to the same conclusions as me Hurrah!

The snow is bucking up it's ideas a bit

snow bucking up it's ideas a bit
Originally uploaded by bltphoto

been a bit neither nowt nor nothin' all day but it's coming down in huge downy flakes now the parking places have been covered and the roof opposite are being covered

Burj Dubai: world's biggest metaphor opens.

Loving the fawning coverage on most channels/ news reports of this new cock  skyscraper that's been built in Dubai. I'm sure most Parish Councils could knock up a similar pile of un-substainable pointless probably empty for years feudal tat if they paid the people who built it £2.84 a day! But as long as western designers swish in for the opening and make sure the cheques don't bounce, I'm sure it's a masterpiece.

Woman bathing with a red plastic spade in the golden light of the lagoon SE8 (after Rembrandt)

The other day it was Pissaro today Rembrant, I am only going walking in Old Master from now on.

 

Suggestions for other painting to walk in gratefully recieved anyone who says a Walter Sickert murder picture get a hard stare!

New year new week

Don't really do resolutions as I know mine rarely get passed putting the marge back in the fridge and finding the lid for the marmite pot.
Anyway you are probably sleighbelled out by now so some new tunes may be in order. I heard this lot literally just now and particuallry like this song by Wild Beasts. How can you not love a song that sounds bit like Billy Mackenzie but also mentions girls from Shipley and Whitby!!






I've also been enjoying this lot of Swedish types "Sally Shapiro" who are very good in a St Etienne New Order  b-side italo disco sort of way. Also the singers not called Sally Shapiro nor is anyone else in the band it's conceptual but not enough to be daft and put you off the music.



Also you can't go far wrong with this at anytime of year.

Happy New Year

fox hill upper norwood (after Pissaro)
Originally uploaded by bltphoto

Had a lovely NYE round at S&R's for which many thanks. New Years day in the bright blue sky sunshine we went hunting for an Impressionist painting. In 1870's Camille Pissaro moved to London and famously lived in Norwood area and made some pictures.
Anyway we wanted to see if anything was still there If you click through to the flickr page you can see the original. A surprisingly number of buildings homes were still there. My pic is slightly further down the road, the trees on the right were similar to old Camille's.