Singles:
Song: Fido the dog (april 88) (wtc)
Song: I am leaving
Make sure the astronaut isn't a religion freak
Song: Summer in the high street
Written walking down Erdington High Street 1995. I never did record the punk version
Song: A hundred years apart
A song about two photos of forge lane farm sandwell taken a 100 years apart with a nod to a poem I read at school which I can no longer remember
Song: Let me tell you that
Started life as a piss take of boy bands and turned into a love song.
Song: Anywhere but here
Does what it says on the tin
Song: A sad statement
A song inspired by a resident of a nursing home in the black country
Song: Shattered
A song inspired by a BBc news broadcast based on world war one as if broadcast in real time. Nailed in 5 minutes!
Song: Ramshackle side road 80-10
Song: Rain and fog 80-10
Now this album was going to be about groovy and fab BUT it mutated into this. This track is inspired by the introduction to the song words of wisdom which starts the track in 5/4 Man!
Song: I find it hard to sleep at night
This was going to be a song for Sharon to sing in the later day Chemists line up. A much changed version from it's 4/4 original to 3/8 and a song about the effect of drink driving.
Song: Living on a knife edge 87 -10
Not the original or "the shoal" version it's a re-record from 1987 with additional beats from 2010
Song: No one there now.
A re-record. The tune and chords are from 1983 but I re-recorded it with new words. A song refering to the Loss of my Father and A loss of faith for a long time in my life......There's no one there now..
Song: Lynmouth and boscastle
Song: Red, Amber, Green
From 94-97 vol 2 video on youtube
Song: Lying about America
The song of the book written by Jon Horne from 94-97 vol 1 video on youtube
Song: Do dreams come true
A track from 94-97 vol 4, written on the Isle of Arran about my Linda
Song: The day he ate some coffee
Song: Summer's gone
But not for long, Quintesentially British view of a staycation holiday by the sea
Song: Elvis lives
Based on a now discredited picture of Elvis's ghost taken 6 months post mortem through a window at gracelands.
Song: Summer Again (cheese mix)
Song: Easier to say than do
Song: The ghosts of kitchener street
Song: Near enough to be near
Me and Linda took Jon (Horne) out to the Highwayman pub between sutton and Lichfield and I said in the car park "It's near enogh to be near and far enough to be far away" it ties into Me and Linda falling in love and Nige and Julia and B and H. It's a love song..sing it people sing it!
Song: Ride on the wind 80-10
sixth form rebellion with sixth form lyrics and sixth form chord changes!
Song: And she does
Based on people nige and dave worked with at cresall manufacturing..What makes the clouds and the sky gerry? well theresa......
Song: Happy days in the sun
Song: This self centered moment
A song of loss
Song: Love seems better the second time around
Practically identical to the original.
Song: I wanted love you wanted sex
Song: Maybe
This begins the section where I threw out the wrong tape! this is a re-record and its practically identical to the original as I remember it. The original was written in 1985.
Song: Community
about people with mental illness in institutions being pushed out into the community
Song: June 85
gtr/bass 1985 beats 2010 The first song I made on a four track.
Song: This town
gtr/voc/bass 1985 beats 2010 about Castle Vale pre Redevelopment. This is the noisy version
Song: Bring it down
Voc/gtrs/bass 1985 beats 2010 written following a walk thru Erdington to a cash point one sunday in 1985!
Song: Leave
Well, listen and figure
Song: Morning
About the homeless people I met in between bus journeys to work at the time. I got an insight when after a night shift I sat at the bus stop drinking a Can of Skol super.
Song: All is not what it seems
Song: The Journey Home 06-82
Song: What have I done 87
Song: Nothing lasts for ever 10-83
Song: Rumour of despair 87
Song: Up and over trumpet
2010 re-record it was an instrumental that I came up with leaving the senseteria full of 'e'. It was originally called Herb albert and the marijuarna brass blow. You get the idea.
Song: I don't want to know
This and 'I would of thought'.. were recorded the same day originally so I tried to do the same this time. I don't know why but i refer to this as the 'funky phantom' mix
Song: Welcome to modern England
Song: Sunday is the day 87-11
One of two songs lost during a computer crash and finished in 2011, Very different to the lost version, God has intervened!
Song: I still love you darling but (sparse mix)
Song: As it starts, so it ends
Based on a picture of my mum and dad with my brothers first child on their lap. A week later my dad had his heart attack in my arms on the settee and died a week later, As it starts so it ends.
Song: The insecure (slight return)
They most certainly are ollie!
Song: Tony Wilson said (R.I.P.)
Song: Feel
The last song of this batch. Written during a break in a night shift September 1995
Song: Automation 80-10
Spot the obvious hendrix influences, matrix way before the matrix was born!
Song: Caught in two minds 1979
The original 1979 version with the line that only people from England could write "go to the bog and light a fag"
Song: Belief without words but with tune (wtc)
Song: How do I know 79-10
The backing is from 12/10 BUT the vocal and guitar are from 1979! and no..I don't know what it's about either and i wrote it!
Song: Aston Hall 84 (wtc)
Song: I've got a problem with you
Song: You don't understand and you never will
Song: Life goes on from here
Written after the loss of my Mother. Started in Cradley Heath in the taxi rank next to the old sausage works pub. Finished by the time I got home.
Song: It's alright you can cry
Song: oohs and aahs (wtc)
Song: It's time for work again
Song: Some of us
a shockingly accurate prediction of new labour financial fuck ups based on previous tory financial fuck ups. same bullshit different arseholes
Song: Border Town
One of my Scottish holiday songs written in Moffat in 1990. Its a bleak picture but that's the vibe I got then, It was different when I went there in 2008.
Song: I'm alright for now
Song: This is our society
Song: Hung him out to dry
Song: I hate everything but I love you
Song: Lynmouth and Boscastle (wtc)
Song: The waiting is done
Getting bad news in outpatients.
Song: Mandolin a go go (april 88) (wtc)
Song: Rain and fog 80-10 (wtc)
Song: Rabbits and sandwiches (april 88) (wtc)
Song: I cannot be satisfied
Is a really old song from 1986 about changing fashions and the fickleness of the public at large
Song: Do we really need this?
Opening track from Plinky.
Song: Trash
Predicts my depression by 10 years
Song: Choice
A tale of parental choice and a sex change!
Song: Matthew the teddy bear
Song: Autumn Scene 87
Salvaged and polished. The original from 1980 wasn't usable so this is the 1987 version.
Song: Rabbits and sandwiches (april 88)
This track is one of those historical anomalies. I first played it around 1984 and I'm sure I've nicked it from some where else, if I have I apologise. It was first heard (alledgedly) in Williams back garden during an Enemy rehearsal. Then comes the date, I'm sure this is earlier than 1988 but as I've lost the other cassette version I'll have to go with this date. Curious!
Song: Ramshackle side road 80-10 (wtc)
Song: We believe (but I don't)
In newspapers.
Song: Up and over trumpet (wtc)
Song: The Belfast Wheel (wtc)
Song: Sutton Park Winter 82 (wtc)
Song: Strop! (83-10) (wtc)
Song: The man who hated thunder
Song: Where is the summer?
Song: The wind and the rain
Song: Never gonna stop loving you
Song: Life in occupied England
A dark and threatening view of Blarite England from a right wing point of view. Opening track of My computer's bust Volume 2
Song: All is not what it seems (wtc)
Song: Bricks (10-84)
The chorus at the end says it all, art is full of BS to the max. The folky bit at the start plays the melody in the same key through out for once.
Song: Somethings going on in her head
A true story I'm afraid with a sad ending. Re-record with same tune and arrangements
Song: A statement
A re-record and I don't know what either the original or this version is a about. The guitar noodles at the end was a total accident
Song: Power (10-84)
About politics, Same tune differnt key with the end solo part being the original but down a tone. "Same shit, different arseholes" (c) Mr O Osbourne..they cut my mind.
Song: Aston Hall 84
About Aston hall in Birmingham
Song: Something to me (84-10)
Originally based on a piece of Adrians art work being decribed as like a weetabix box! ended up being about somthing else the intro, choruses and run out are the original parts
Song: Prelude 84
I found two versions, one with bad fusion guitar and this, what it was meant to prelude is lost in the sands of time
Song: I wanted love you wanted sex (wtc)
Song: Erdington party fears
A re-record but this time the lyrics have changed to tell of Parties in Erdington, I should of used the vomit samples! for the second verse. I never did get to do a shit and wrap it in an empty mars bar wrapper and put it in the fridge....yet!!!!
Song: I don't know whats going on today
Song: Jesus was a wasted man (3-87)
Dodgy title. The song was meant to reflect race in the southern states of America, I don't know if it does or not, the bottom line is, if you believe in such things, is that God is on everyones side regardless of colour or race.
Song: I would of thought you knew better
See I don't want to know
Song: Intro
Intro to Drink, sample of Obliviously
Song: Hurt Yourself
The intro is the only part of the original and the whole thing is a re-record. Anyone reading this who suffers from depression will know the sentiments of the song only to well.
Song: Strop! (83-10)
The original song is the acoustic guitar part. I kept one verse which had a nice tune but song in my usual high pitched squeak! so I feed it through an Amp modiler to keep the tune and the song went from lovey dovey to angry in one click of a mouse....Result!
Song: Short Stories (83-10)
The original was about tales told of drunken excursions, I kept the tune and played it instrumental, the intro chorus and guitar solo are all original
Song: Sutton Park Winter 82
I went to Sutton park winter 1982 and it was so beautiful I came and wrote a song about it....A really crap song!! so I kept the tune and thought of icicles.
Song: Man with a plan (apr 83-10)
The vocals and guitars (which don't keep time!) come from april 1983. I added bass and percussion/beats this year. Based on a documentary I saw about construction corruption during the high rise flats boom in post war Britian.
Song: Falling down the hill again (83-10)
The intro and outro (raised a semi-tone) come from april 1983 I re-recorded the verse and choruses owing to bad singing and bad lyrics which is pity as I'd used an old moog synth on the original but I couldn't salvage it. The person in the song is based on two characters from Erdington.
Song: And it's about two (dec 88-09)
The original demo and one other version is on youtube. This was an early attempt to add beats and bass to the old demos, I can remember recording this so well and yet I couldn't get it in the band!
Song: Mandolin a go go (apr 88)
I had a mandoloin once which I sold before it bent upwards!
Song: Fido the dog (apr 88)
Dedeicated to my late brothers dog named Dusty the Jack Russell
Song: Alternative car parking (4-88)
A demo in it's purist form, silly words to keep the tune played to a click track
Song: Cherish (dec 88-10)
By now I'm writing and performing in The Chemists (mk 2) This song got accepted
