at last

The long awaited Mumm-Ra album has finally hit the shelves. Great throughout, naturally. The boys have done Sussex proud! Up till now famous only for The Piranhas, Keane (ugh..) and The Kooks, we've now added Mumm-Ra to our roll call.

Best song is still 'Out of the Question', in fact it's one of those pop classics that come round every five years or so, in the tradition of 'It's All Over Now' Rolling Stones, 'If there is Something' Roxy Music, 'Don't Fear the Reaper' Blue Oyster Cult, 'God Save the Queen' Sex Pistols, 'Teenage Kicks' Undertones, 'Transmission' Joy Division, 'Rescue' Echo and the Bunnymen, 'Disco 2000' Pulp, 'Don't Look Back in Anger' Oasis and 'I Predict a Riot' Kaiser Chiefs. Era-defining music, even if only for a summer!

But what Sussex still hasn't produced is a working class band. It probably never will - we were always more into fighting, knives, drugs and guns than serious stuff like music!

tracks and tracks

Some shots taken around the Southern Region back in the 1970s.

Music's coming back on the agenda, never fear! Digitalising 12,000 photos is going to be a big job, and to relax I try to do a bit of DJing, even if mainly at home. We've got bookings coming up as well. And a brand new stereo with MP3 and Bluetooth for the car. Now we're just waiting for the new Mumm-Ra album ...

cool or not - I'm confused

Yeah, I know - Dad Rock time! But you know me better. Dontcha? Firstly I see Trin's Beatles keyring. Is she being ironic or what? I HATE the Beatles - talentless middle-class trossers who were uncool even in the sixties. It was them versus the Stones - talented middle-class trossers who were cool for a while. They had that acned hackneyed ASBO look that actually frightened people forty years ago. But Mick was an economist with a degree from the LSE - which is cool by anybody's standards. And Johnny Depp based his pirate of the Caribbean on Keith Richards, the terminally uncool smoker who climbs trees for a day job. I'm still confused.

Then they go and cancel a gig in Serbia because the noise will disturb 300 horses. That is cool by anybody's standards. Not the group that Swissies raved over in the 80s 'cos they thought they were cool - sick making. One of the Swissie returnees gave me and Mad Mike a lift from Vevey to Villeneuve and assaulted my ears with tales of the wonderful Stones - we'd just come back from a Pogues open air gig in Nyon. More confusion.

Now music god Plan B's gone and issued a bootleg featuring the same fellows, Paint it Blacker. And it's fun. But then I loved Paint it Black, Jumping Jack Flash and All Over Now (centuries ago in another life).

Further brain problems and cool/uncool dichotomies as I progress through the album - Radiohead's next. Now I doubt even B could make them fuckers cool!

Music's great!

bringing tross back more like...

We need more discos. I'm getting all rusty and impatient. In August we have a seventies and eighties disco challenge to do. How to stick purely to 70's and 80's and still be cool? It WILL be possible.
Meanwhile we have Beyonce and Shakira heading the charts with a pretty dreadful track. I did hear a remix that was a bit more promising but still dire. Manic Street Preachers are making a semi comeback with Dad Rock 2007. I still think they used to be lyrically brilliant but they had their day. Why don't people just give up when their time is over.... that's you too Bryan Ferry. Load of tross with your Bob Dylan covers.
But the worse for me is the very disappointing Arctic Monkeys 2nd album. I saw them on Jools Holland the other night. Every one was raving about them but every track sounded just like the first album. No new sound or spark there at all. Very drab.
Maybe it's me. I haven't exactly been thrilled with many second albums this year. Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, Keane all total tross.
And if I hear 'I want to have your babies' one more time there will be infanticide....

sob...mumm-ra

We got tix to see Mumm-Ra at the Thekla tomorrow but we'd also booked to go on holiday... so on holiday we go... I'll miss you Mumm-Ra. I love Mumm-Ra... *sob*
I also think it's the very last time to see this fantastically talented and fun band in such a small venue. With their new single out Monday (She's got you High) and the Album 'These Things Move In Threes' on 28th May plus the very successful NME awards tour with The Automatic and The View. The fact that 'She's Got You High' is the NME's song of the week and the track being the soundtrack to the new HSBC advert will push them skyward to bigger audiences.
And who is bigger than the shopping giant Asda? Whilst perusing the bunion plasters for dear Brassey, who should be playing over the supermarket tannoy? None other than Mumm-ra themselves. Amazing and made my day. Even made me forget his fungal foot relief. The joys of being a DJ partner.
My tip for 2007 is of course Mumm-ra and NOT that fucking Maroon 5 group as hotly tipped by the GWR so called DJ wanker this week. Song of the year? Get a life and some musical taste idiot.

sorry

Yeah, I know ... we've been really quiet on the tracks and tracks site lately. That's because we haven't had a chance to do much DJing or going to gigs lately. Bloody railways' fault mainly, plus a holiday or two.

I'm digitalising my photo collection going back 36 years! This is one of the better ones I've dug up - the original is faded, badly lit and lacks punch. A bit of cropping, fiddling about and generally being creative on Picasa has changed all that. This is a nice shot now, practically publishing quality. (It's 33 104 at Brookwood, 8.8.77 by the way).

see us at the club patio

"if you see us in the club we'll be acting real nice
if you see us on the floor you'll be watchin all night
we ain't here to hurt nobody
so give it to me give it to me give it to me
wanna see you work your body
so give it to me give it to me give it to me"

Timbaland JT Nelly Furtado (2007)

Seems everything Timbaland touches turns to gold. I can't get this track out of my head... it sat in there all night clubbing it. Damn you Timb!!
I'm sure I'll be playing it this weekend though. We're booked to play the grand opening of the Midsomer Norton S&D patio. Seems the weather will be hot and the company will be scorching and as for the food............
There's going to be quite the mix of ages. Now just because people are old doesn't mean they have to like uncool music but seeing Brassey's dad goes pale at the thought of a Snow Patrol Album we might have a problem.

in search of entertainment

Another Friday trip to the local Commie centre.... yeah for a pint of Guinness and check out the local competition. We were worried it would be Barrie's saga tunes again... as 'apparently' he gets booked once a month. But we were rather cheered to find a different DJ set up on the stage. This one didn't talk even once.... no vocals at all. His lighting set was OK but as for the blocks of colour that fronted the stage? Well, all they did was make him totally inaccessible.
But the main thing for me is of course the music.
It started off with an extremely bad warm up mix of songs I'd heard maybe once many years ago. Instantly forgettable and totally undanceable.
The room started to fill slowly. Some people came to the door and walked away. Obviously not drawn in by the insipid music mix.
We sat there and misery filled my head. I'd left my job yesterday. I wanted an hour out to forget stuff. Nothing he played inspired or lifted me at all.
Then as if it couldn't get worse he played FUCKING RONAN KEATING. I thought I was going to vomit. Suddenly the drink tasted like shit. The smoky room felt oppressive and everyone looked totally miserable.
I wanted to go.... we stayed... could it get worse?
Yep, the next track was Atomic Kitten.
We left.
Today I've been cleansing my ears with our mix of Enter Shakiri, Akon, JT, Coolio, the lovely Fedde and The Gossip... BTW the new track is excellent. Total Danceability.
Thank you world for Beth

"Now listen UP!
oooooo on the playground! x2
you learn so much now listen up!
now gather 'round now listen up!
now gather round now
1, 2 ,3 take it from me,
3, 4 so much trouble in store
4, 5 get it right,the first time
(o!)
count it with me now!
1, 2 ,3 take it from me,
3, 4 so much trouble in store
4, 5 get it right,the first time
(o!)
count it with me now!"

"Listen Up" (The Gossip 2007)

dance lesson no 1

For all of those who think you need a handbag to dance around, or who think James Blunt has something to say, or that it's legal to play Status Quo at a disco - get your gnashers around this! Joy Division 1979 Manchester, just look at Ian's dancing ... makes Margot Fonteyn look like she's got three left feet or a huge septic growth on her uterus.

thomas and friends as the young ones

Remember the Young Ones? Rik Mayall and crowd looking young and clueless. This used to be cult stuff. Thomas still is ...

enter shikari explained

Sorry, you're not a winner with cartoon interpretation.

we meld ...

It had to happen. The worlds of cutting-edge music and railway enthusiasm HAVE to merge ... even if we're not quite there yet. But this is a step on the way. What next - Enter Shikari over Ivo Peters' S&D volume one? We can but dream ...

enter shikari - the real vid for anything can happen ...

This has been elusive (and STILL doesn't come up on an 'Enter Shikari' search) but here's the official vid for Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour. Enjoy ...

got a feeling these are going to be big!!

This is the only clip on Youtube of Enter Shikari. You saw it here first. Album straight in at 5. They're going to be the band of the summer. Check 'em out ...

plan b interacts with the mitchell brothers

Here's B doing a cover of the Mitchell Brothers finest song, Harvey Nicks.

Bastards

Why would anyone want to hurt a sweet little train? What is the world coming to? First some so called animal lover wants to kill a sweet little lovable polar bear cub.
Then a gang of ruffians vandalise a harmless train...OK so it had Ron Weasley sat in it at some point but to smash 200 windows with hammers?
There must be some really bad undercurrent of Harry Potter rage out there somewhere.
Fuckers.

I'm not okay
I'm not okay
Well, I'm not okay
I'm not o-fucking-kay
I'm not okay
I'm not okay

MCR 2007


Gratuitous picture of baby Knut

DJ Munster

We had the pleasure of attending a special ball Saturday night on the fabulous SS Great Britain in Bristol Docks.
Everyone was dressed up, spirits were high and the champagne flowed rather nicely... we were enjoying it UNTIL we met the disco.
The DJ's set up was rather like our own. A CD mixer and bxes of cd's. His lights were OK, effective.
Immediately we entered the disco he left... buggered off for 20 minutes and left a vile CD on. I checked out his unimpressive music collection.
He returned, and started his set. Back to back Michael Jackson and some of the most uninspiring music ever. I asked for the Arctic Monkeys. He said he hadn't been able to get that CD... a bit obscure! WHAT!
The dance floor being packed was nothing to do with his skills, rather a crate load of champagne and drunk nurses who'd have danced to Val Doonigan.
What's the point mate? You don't like music,you have no knowledge, you can't mix. Give it up.

how's this for road-rail integration?

This is the famous Mollibahn in eastern Germany. The most interesting feature is the mile or so of street running in Bad Doberan with long steam hauled trains a feature twice every hour. If you get the chance go there!

somerset and dorset update

Overall view of the station.



The Chilcompton extension takes the line out into real countryside at last!



The signalbox is now almost complete - recreated from rubble in under two years.

It's been a while since the S&D's featured on these pages, so here are a few recent views showing progress at the site. Come and visit us any Sunday or Monday - shop and catering coach open on site. Our website has also made huge progress lately!

CSS video - death from above

Yes!! CSS, video, best song, enjoy ...