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The first time I saw the name Adrian Henri it was reading the sleeve of 'This Is The Modern World' which was aÌęChristmasÌępresent in 1977.ÌęI know the second Jam LP is much maligned these days (and those days) but it does contain the odd flash of Paul Weller's songwriting. 'Tonight At Noon' was based on a poem by Henri,Ìępoet and member of the Liverpool Scene. That was a group, as well as a scene. His 'In The Midnight Hour'Ìęwas not Wilson Pickett's song butÌęa surrealisticÌęwander throughÌęa Liverpool where pigeons hunt cats andÌęHitler tells us to fight on the beaches. Weller took the best of the poem, added his own lines and came up withÌę'Tonight At Noon'. I cut out the studioÌęnonsense that precedes the song on theÌęLP, for no extra charge.
ÌęI have to admire anyone who decides to set up a record label without the aid of a trust fund or a winning lottery ticket. Such as Stephen Pastel, who set up the Scottish label "53rd and 3rd". Not only did he name it after a Ramones song, he also signed some great bands in the 1980s like The Shop Assistants. He (along with Sandy McLean and David Keegan) also licensed some of the better European punk records like Chin Chin's 'Stop Your Crying' mini LP. A man of wealth and taste. Apart from the wealth, of course.

Shop Assistants - Safety Net
Buzzcocks - Are Everything
Triffids - Personal Things
Swell Maps - Let’s Build A Car
The Faith - Subject To Change
Stranglers - Do You Wanna
Jam - Tonight At Noon
Beex - Beat Beat
Chin Chin - Revolution
XTC ÌęGenerals & Majors
Mouse & The Traps - Lie, Beg Borrow and Steal
Gymslips - Wandering Stars
John Cooper Clarke - Post War Glamour Girl
Cravats - Precinct
Dr Feelgood - Riot In Cell Block No 9

Whatever happened to Chris Dean of The Redskins ? The man who combined writing for the NME as X.Moore with his day job as singer with the skinhead band it was alright to like in the 1980s, was said to have moved to Paris where he was living the life of a recluse. Of course, as Doris Day said this week, people think you're a recluse when all it means is that you spend most of your time in the house. Having aÌęwonderful time, presumably.ÌęSpeaking of Doris, The Door and The Window make a rare outing. Are they any good ? I don't know, but Mark Perry of Alternative TV thought they were good enough for him to join, so judge for yourself. Starting with The Damned, and ending with The Stooges. Punk rockin' bookends.

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Damned - Problem Child
Redskins - Kick Over The Statues
Go-Gos - Can’t Stop The World
Door And The Window - He Feels Like A Doris
Anti - Nowhere League - For You
The Attic - War We’re At War
Chron Gen - Reality
Nightingales - Big Print
Rudi - When I Was Dead
Shadows Of Knight - Gloria
Breakaways - USA
Tights - Bad Hearts
Bubblegum Splash - 18.10 To Yeovil Junction
Stooges - TV Eye

Sorry for being late but just a few thoughts on tonight’s menu, starting with the Mekon’s first single, which is said to have been a swipe at the Clash for having the nerve to write a song called “White Riot” - unfortunately the Mekons aren’t as good as the Clash, but never mind, it’s always good to start a record (and a radio show) with ‘1,2,3,4’.
Listening again to the Cortinas debut LP, it struck me that they were as much an English R&B band as a punk band. With a good record collection. Also good to remember David Johansen’s solo records, which kept some New York Dolls fans happy during those thirty years wilderness before his chums reformed.

Mekons - Never Been In A Riot
Fall - It’s The New Thing
Cortinas - First I Look At The Purse
Artificial Peace - Wasteland
Neon Boys - Thats All I Know Right Now
B 52s - 52 Girls
Cure - 10.15 On A Saturday Night
Girls At Our Best - Too Big For Your Boots
David Johansen - Girls
Gorillas - She’s My Gal
Dexys Midnight Runners - Dance Stance
The Light - Back Up
Gang Of Four - He’d Send in The Army
The Clicks - She’s Looking At Me
June Brides - We Belong
Ian Dury - Billericay Dickie