Newsletter #21 - September 2011

Radio Stars 'No Russians in Russia' performed by John's Children

The recently Finnished version of John's Children recently stomped their way glamly through 'No Russians' in London recently. Anddo, Mikko, Wikko and Wacko demolished the tune with gay abandon, along with complete disregard for traditional chord structures (not really) and a dearth of penguins, of which there are not many in Finland - video here.

This goes along with the new (but not at all Finnish) release of John's Children's 'Black and White' album, recorded in 1999 in the UK - Andy Ellison, Chris Townson, Martin Gordon and Boz Boorer. You see? Not even Scandinavian. More here.

From Jet to Radio Stars to Mammals

Is literacy the new black? An erudite overview of the unpredictable careers of those bands referred to in the headline just up there, tracing their progress from the slums of St Peter's Square, Hammersmith to the end of an unspecified pier, can be found here, courtesy of Neil Fraser. And in another recent literary outburst James Orman gave us his Jet overview. Check out his own outfit Silvery.

Still more Jet recollections came courtesy of Andy Ellison and Chris Townson, from the forthcoming book 'Wired Up! Glam, Post-Punk & Bubblegum European Picture Sleeves 1970-1976'. Part II is here.

(That's enough Jet recollections for now. Ed.)

Archive video disinterred

One-time Sparks and Boxer guitarist Adrian Fisher spoke to the BBC's 'Expats' programme in 1999 about his ex-pat life in Thailand. He died the following year. There are also Adrian Fisher interviews on the Sparks page - Adrian recalled and Adrian talks. And that original TTABEFBOU video turned up again...

Also disinterred in video were the Blue Meanies, in their only ever TV performance. They were introduced by a parrot, but it is, perhaps fortunately, is nowhere to be seen. Here's 'Pop Sensibility', and here's the b-side 'I'm Not in Love With You'. And then they disappeared, off to take up day jobs in the archives of oblivion.

Lots more video stuff on Hugo Portion's YouTube channel.

Website

There's now a new Bands tab, which sorts content by the various bands, including lots of new stuff. Now it's all sorted out a bit better, with everything connected to particular Bands being collected under one Bands heading, which is 'Bands'. You see how it works? Bands! BANDS!

Live gigs

A report from the June 1st Mammal gig in Stockholm, with pic, video and gratis audio download here. Material from most MG bands to date was revealed for public scrutiny. No Blue Meanies, however, although this may be rectified in the future, as a repeat visit is being planned for October 2011. Stockholm is not in Finland, however.

MG also popped up on contrabass for the marvellous Anton Barbeau's recent Berlin gig, with at least one person playing the role of 'audience'. Here's his homepage.