was founder, bass player and songwriter of The Damned – one of the most important punk bands emerging from the UK. After leaving them in the early 80’s, he reinvented himself as a pop singer with a rebellious, self-conscious image and unforgettable hits like «Wot?» and «Happy Talk». He stayed a rebel at heart and founded the Blah! Party in 2007, toured with punk/rock supergroup Dead Man Walking and joined The Damned again in 1996.
They made a wonderfully relaxing (and very melancholy) self titled album a couple of years ago. Actually, the whole record was apparently inspired by a dog having the time of it’s life on a beach which was a profound experience for the singer of the band.
you ride a bicycle?
NEU! - Hallogallo
Very trippy on a bike trip.
you camp in the desert?
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade
It would be the perfect accompaniment. It sounds just like the whole Sahara Desert has been condensed into a small plastic CD.How did old Rimsky do that?
you prepare a candle light dinner?
Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends
For melodic pop it beats «Sgt. Pepper’s» AND «Pet Sounds». An absolute gem that deserves to be in all melody buffs record collections.
you go to a club?
DJ Tsuyoshi
Techno isn’t my fave music but his stuff has a great groove.
you cook?
Actually, I listen to sports radio on BBC 5 Live for Premiership football reports and commentaries. You can listen on the internet too for anyone who’s interested.
you prepare for an important date?
The Ramones - Beat On The Brat
Anything by the Ramones gets you going.
you want to disturb your neighbours?
Soft Machine
Can get up the nose of normal folk. It’s occasionally quite edgy jazz rock. On their first album there’s a track where the lyrics are simply the English alphabet. And why not?
you drive a car late at night?
ABBA - Dancing Queen
Singing along to that keeps me awake.
you fall asleep?
Terry Riley - A Rainbow In Curved Air
This 18 minute ambient epic is also perfect when played on an iPod while at the dentist.
you are love sick?
Pentangle - Once I Had A Sweetheart
It is SO sad and has the added bonus of a sitar/double bass jam in the middle.
you make love?
Brainticket - Voyage
Dreamy, warm and psychedelic. I love a bit of Krautrock. Actually, I believe they might be Swiss!
you jump out of a plane with a parachute?
The Fifth Dimension - Up, Up And Away
you meet your parents?
Frank Sinatra - Fly Me To The Moon
To get me into their frame of mind. «Fly Me To The Moon» is one of his more acceptable tunes.
you sit in a plane?
Jean-Luc Ponty - Imaginary Voyage
Drifty psychedelic and goes nicely with the clouds. This is the acceptable face of jazz rock. Melodic, exciting, accessible.
you rob a bank?
Stereolab - Jenny Ondioline
I REALLY like Stereolab. The extended version of «Jenny Ondioline» gets the adrenalin pumping.
you have to spend a night in a spooky hotel?
The Cramps
you sit in the subway?
Sheila & The B Devotion - Spacer
I really do play this while in the London Underground. It puts you into a totally cosmic bubble. Especially on the long version where there is an obvious edit just before 4 minutes. All the reverb disappears which gives you the shivers.
you wake up?
Mylène Farmer - Libertine
It’s a great wake up song and creates a sense of well being for the rest of the day. Not many people in the UK know about this wonderful French singer. The Brits generally dig crap music from the USA.
If you were stranded on a deserted island you would...
take these three books along:
Martin Strong: «The Great Psychedelic Discography» / Charles Darwin: «On The Origin Of Species: By Means Of Natural Selection Or The Preservation Of Favoured Races In The Struggle For Life» / Richard Dawkins: «The God Delusion»
take these three CDs/records with you:
The Groundhogs - Thank Christ For The Bomb
Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express - Oblivion Express
Pink Fairies - Never Never Land
take these three DVDs along:
«Candy» by Neil Armfield / «Brief Encounter» by David Lean / «Girl On A Motorcycle» by Jack Cardiff
take these three games along:
Super Mario Bros (b/w gameboy original) / a football / Daytona USA (arcade machine)
start to learn these three things:
watercolours / astronomy / meditation
miss these three things the most about living in a city:
trains / pubs / bicycle lanes
invite these three persons for a weekend:
Stevie Wonder / Richard Dawkins / Bjork
get these three pets:
rabbit / dog / chicken
learn these three songs by heart:
Richard Harris - McArthur Park
Written by Jimmy Webb
The Lovin’ Spoonful - You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice
Gabriel Fauré - Clair De Lune
Fauré’s setting of the poem by Paul Verlaine.
take these three tools with you:
Swiss Army Knife / p17 flashlight by LED LENSER / ball of string
are finally back. After their very promising debut they took some time to come back with an album that finally shows the full potential of what Johnny Jewel & co is capable of. Where «In The City» left off ...