Isolation Mix Twelve

I’m not sure that the title of these mixes holds true any more but onward we go. This week’s hour of music is coming from the punk and post- punk world and the long tail that snakes from the plugging of a guitar into an amplifier and someone with something to say stepping up to the microphone. Some Spaghetti Western as an intro, some friendship, some politics, some anger, some exhilaration, some questions, some disillusionment, some psychedelic exploration and some optimism to end with.

In History Lesson Part 2 D. Boon explains his friendship with Mike Watt, the importance of punk in changing their lives, the singers and players in the bands that inspired him and, in the first line, the essence of punk as he experienced it.

‘Our band could be your life
Real names’d be proof
Me and Mike Watt played for years
Punk rock changed our lives

We learned punk rock in Hollywood
Drove up from Pedro
We were fucking corn dogs
We’d go drink and pogo

Mr. Narrator
This is Bob Dylan to me
My story could be his songs
I’m his soldier child

Our band is scientist rock
But I was E. Bloom and Richard Hell
Joe Strummer and John Doe
Me and Mike Watt, playing guitar’

https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&feed=%2Fbaggingarea50%2Fisolation-mix-12%2F

Ennio Morricone: For A Few Dollars More

Minutemen: History Lesson Part 2

Joe Strummer/Electric Dog House: Generations

X: In This House That I Call Home

The Replacements: Can’t Hardly Wait (Tim Outtake Version)

Husker Du: Keep Hanging On

The Redskins: Kick Over The Statues

The Woodentops: Why (Live)

The Vacant Lots: Bells

The Third Sound: For A While

Spacemen 3: Revolution

Poltergeist: Your Mind Is A Box (Let Us Fill It With Wonder)

Echo And The Bunnymen: Ocean Rain (Alt Version)

Pete Wylie: Sinful

Carbon/Silicon: Big Surprise

Sing Michael Sing

If anyone missed it my contribution to JC’s Imaginary Compilation Album series appeared at The Vinyl Villain earlier this week, ten songs and a bonus track that make up my Big Audio Dynamite compilation. You can read it and listen to the songs here if you want to. It led me to thinking about a Mick Jones Clash ten track compilation and then also a Mick Jones career one. The Clash one would have to be songs Mick sung and could look something like this…

Side 1. The Prisoner//Jail Guitar Doors//Stay Free//Gates Of The West//Lost In The Supermarket

Side 2. Train In Vain//Up In Heaven (Not Only Here)//Police On My Back//Somebody Got Murdered//Innoculated City

That means leaving out Protex Blue, I’m Not Down, Hitsville UK and Should I Stay Or Should I Go. I’m open to suggestions- and could easily change my mind tomorrow.

A career spanning compilation would need side 1 to be entirely by The Clash and side 2 B.A.D. and beyond I think.

Side 1. The Clash Jail Guitar Doors//Gates Of The West//Train In Vain//Lost In The Supermarket//Up In Heaven (Not Only Here)

Side 2. B.A.D. Medicine Show//B.A.D. V Thirteen// B.A.D. Contact//Carbon/Silicon Why Do Men Fight?//Carbon/Silicon Big Surprise.

I could take off a C/S song and put another B.A.D. one on quite easily. If you don’t know Mick’s work with Carbon/Silicon there’s a ton of stuff out there, much of it freely available. Why Do Men Fight? was a rollicking guitar tune. Big Surprise sounds like the beginnings of a solo project, a man looking back, misty eyed. It’s also a gorgeous little tune.

Public Library

I noticed that The Swede posted this yesterday at his place but my post was half written so I thought I’d go ahead and publish anyway- that’s the crazy, reckless kind of man I am.

Mick Jones has a new album out called Ex Libris, a six song record of instrumentals that are all really good, mood pieces- piano and drum machine, a bit of dub bass, a bit golden age of British film soundtracky, a bit 1950s lounge. There’s some squealing feedback on the last song, Bad Mood, that’s a welcome addition. Shame there’s no vocals on any of them but very enjoyable. It can be bought on limited edition vinyl here, a bit pricey at £30 but it looks like a nicely put together package. I suppose you’re paying for the fact that only nine hundred and ninety nine other people will have a copy. I’m dithering yes (but it is my birthday soon).

The record is out to coincide with Mick’s Rock and Roll Public Library being exhibited in Venice- his collection of pop culture artefacts from the last fifty years along with stuff from his days in The Clash and B.A.D. I keep hoping he’ll bring it up north one day.

As a bonus here’s a clip I found a while ago- Mick in his Carbon/Silicon days in the mid-00s, playing The Clash song Hitsville UK with daughter Lauren on vocals. Lauren definitely has a certain appeal.

Big Surprise

This song, as far as I know, is the most recent thing Mick Jones (and Tony James) recorded and released as Carbon/Silicon. It’s a lovely, mellow tune with a smile-and-the-world-smiles-with-you kind of feel and an I’m-a-survivor kind of message. It’ll make you feel good, possibly a little teary, a bit seasonal. There are Santas in the video. Good work Mick.

 

Live And Direct From My Living Room

After the end of Big Audio Dynamite Mick Jones formed a band with mate Tony James (formerly of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik), and started off making guitar and sample based punk-riff-rock, distributing everything for free over the internet. I saw them at some point at Night And Day, good fun, very hot and sweaty, no Clash songs, but a good night out. By 2007 the songs had sharpened up and they issued a cd album The Last Post, with a cover featuring a load of the memorabilia Mick has collected over the years, and is now displaying in his mobile rock ‘n’ roll museum. Bring it up North Mick! This song, Why Do Men Fight?, was the closer to the album and the best, a cool guitar riff, driving bass, four to the floor drumming, and Mick’s meditations on the nature of blokes and why they can’t help punching each other- ‘religion, race, colour, creed, law, jobs, drugs, whatever’. Alcohol, girls and football seem to be missing from the list but hey, this is a good, simple song, great when played loud in the car.

We’re off camping for the Bank Holiday, despite the mixed weather forecast and below average end-of-summer temperatures. Brave or foolish? Time will tell. Don’t worry, the rockabilly’s all set up for later. Have a good weekend.

12 Why Do Men Fight-.wma