The Patrick Hamilton Appreciation Society discussion

I know there's a bit of interest about Dexys amongst some of my fellow Hamiltonians, so here's a thread about the recently released Dexys' film...


"Nowhere Is Home - A Film About Dexys"

There's a bit of information on the Dexys website...

http://www.dexysonline.com/view-7-36

And here is a comprehensive and intriguing review that makes me even keener than ever to watch it....

http://www.walesartsreview.org/nowher...

‘It meant everything to me,’ Kevin Rowland ponders ruefully upon the ethos of Dexys (née Midnight Runners), ‘it probably meant too much, but there it is.’



The singer’s assiduous quest to achieve artistic perfection is most recently captured in Heavenly Films’ latest production, Nowhere is Home, an inspirational and gorgeously empathetic document of the band’s remarkable nine-night residency at London’s historic Duke of York’s Theatre in the Spring of 2013. Ostensibly in support of the critically lauded One Day I’m Going to Soar album – the first new Dexys album in twenty seven-years – it exists as far away from the traditional concert film as you could possibly imagine. On the protracted gestation of the album itself, Rowland, interviewed onscreen alongside his long-time collaborator trombonist ‘Big’ Jim Paterson, is suitably strident in his rejection of the perception of ‘wasted time’, his refusal to deliver a sub-standard offering at the heart of this elongated adjournment: ‘I wasn’t just sat around flicking playing cards into a top hat, y’know.’

Screening across the UK for one night only....



37 Vue cinemas across the UK on July 21st at 7.45pm

http://www.dexysonline.com/view-7-42

Sadly not in Brighton though

This is getting a DVD release in the UK on 20 October 2014..



http://goo.gl/alM1T1

And there's a five disc box set for David and Mark...

http://goo.gl/fKUflP

And a three disc set without the film but with the audio..

http://goo.gl/YwfjLv

One of the above is going straight on my Xmas wish list. Probably the five disc thingy.

Hi Nigey.

The film on the big screen was terrific. I missed the Duke of York gig run in 2013 since I had just been made redundant and wasn't sure if cashflow would allow it. There are certain little differences from the 2012 shows, of which I saw 6, and all of which add drama.

I have already laid out about £120 on various formats of the Pledge package. Guess who's keeping the super-deluxe-all-singing-all-dancing box set though?

On a related note, Pete Williams' new album was issued to pledgers on mp3 last week and the full-blown shiny copy should be with us all very soon.

^ Thanks David.


Due to a mix up with my Pledge account I am currently waiting for my download code - hopefully it'll be resolved soon.

I'm still uming and ahing over the Five disc vs. the three disc Dexys set.

Allow me to help.

Um

Oops. Wrong button.

Let me start again

Um 3 disc?

Ehhhh 5 disc?

5 disc it is.

Happy to help!

^ That was easy. Thanks David.



Are you in Sales?

Good lord no, Nigey. I don't have that ruthless streak at all. I'm much more Ella than Gorse and would struggle to sell nectar-laced Evian in the Central Sahara.

David wrote: "On a related note, Pete Williams' new album was issued to pledgers on mp3 last week and the full-blown shiny copy should be with us all very soon."

Just downloaded it and about to play it

#excited

It's ace. Keaton's Walk was on the last Bureau album too.

Enjoy.

On an unrelated note, my son-in-law should now be in possession of Twenty Thousand Streets in hard copy.

Spreading the word.

^ Thanks David.



First impressions of "Roughnecks & Roustabouts" are very positive.

Great news about Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky - let us know what he thinks or better still get him to add a comment on the thread here.

^ By the by, quick question (and a confession), I have never heard either of the albums by The Bureau? I remember going to see them when they started and liking them, but never got round to buying the album at the time, or in its expanded/remastered version.

So, coming to it in 2014 should I bother? Likewise for the album they released a few years back?

Thanks in anticipation.

Nigeyb wrote: "^ By the by, quick question (and a confession), I have never heard either of the albums by The Bureau? I remember going to see them when they started and liking them, but never got round to buying..."

The first album (never given an official UK release for some bizarre reason) was very good. Very powerful brass and impassioned singing from Archie Brown whose own recent solo album was wonderful

http://flyinshoes.ning.com/profiles/b...

It sounds slightly dated now, like a more powerful Joboxers and could have been doing with a punchier production. It's on double pack on CD with a live show on CD2. If it's on Spotify, you can't go wrong.

The second album (only 35 years after the first!) divides opinion. Archie is in great voice, Geoff and Spooner's brash horns are a delight and the material is pretty good., so I like it, although I'd mprobably struggle to hum something from it to order. Again, Spotify is your friend.

Of course, if you really want *cough* copies, PM me.

Thanks David - that's very helpful.

I have Spotify and will cock an ear to all the various works and incarnations you highlight including Archie's solo album - another new one to me.

Thanks again.

Sorry for the prolonged radio silence at this end. It's been a hectic and chaotic few months, work-wise, and my time online has been severely affected.

Just chiming in to doff my cap in the direction of Pete Williams' new album, which I've been digging quite a lot. Another few weeks, and it'll be a classic!

^ Wonderful to see you hear again Mark. I hope your work life eases up soon. I miss your sagely, insightful and amusing contributions (I think they all fall under one of those headings).

I've just finished listening to Roughnecks + Roustabouts, Pete's new album, which arrived today. it's another splendid effort by one of the nicest men in the business. Lovely melodies, superb soaring singing and a lot of humour.

David wrote: "Lovely melodies, superb soaring singing and a lot of humour."


Amen to that David.

As David tell us...


On BBC4 this very evening.

#joyisunconfined

I've just stumbled upon this, and thought I'd better put it in front of you guys. Of course, there's every chance that you've seen it already, but if not, you're in for a treat. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FlKe...

^ Thanks so much Mark. That was a treat. What a lovely man eh?

Such a refreshing lack of ego and self-importance. He's certainly one of the good guys.

Thank you Mark, a new one for me. I've posted the link to the Dexys Facebook page. What a fine fellow Pete is.

I rewatched "Nowhere Is Home - A Film About Dexys" this week and was intrigued to notice in the credits some inspirations. Click on the image to make it bigger if you need to....

A short interview with Kevin about the forthcoming album DEXYS DO IRISH & COUNTRY SOUL...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTzTN...

The deluxe edition of 'Let The Record Show: DEXYS DO IRISH & COUNTRY SOUL’ features an accompanying film, where Dexys discuss the album.

Pre-order - http://smarturl.it/DexysDoIrish

Really looking forward to this one. Been keeping on a steady diet of Alex Harvey ever since that new 14-disc boxed set turned up in last week's post, so it'll be interesting to see how long Dexys can distract me from SAHB.

Also been massively digging the new Barry Adamson album. Behold the first video taken from it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXn-V...

^ Thanks Mark. I need to get hold of that Barry A album. I like pretty much everything of his that I have ever heard

It's a solid effort on his part, and the vinyl edition comes with a large-format, fairly thick book of his photography. Can't remember if I'd mentioned this or not, but I saw him perform recently at Rough Trade in Brooklyn, and he was brilliant.

It's not nearly the 27 years between Don't Stand Me Down and One Day I'm Going To Soar, but it's been a while since I looked in. Stuff gets in the way of other stuff, one might say.

Anyway, Dexys turned up to do a live set on the Chris Evans show on BBC2 last week, and one of the Strong Devoted has playlisted it here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

David

^ Great stuff David


I was pleasantly surprised to see You To Me Are Everything in there. I used to always finish my DJ sets in the 80s with that song. Never failed to get a great reaction but really not a tune I was expecting Kevin to cover. He's a maverick innee?

And what unexpected versions of Geno and, to a lesser extent, Come On Eileen. Sort of a bossa nova vibe. Love it!

By the by David, you are the most hardcore Dexys fan I know of, so, will you be splashing out on the deluxe version of "Let The Record Show" to get your copy of the instrumental versions and the film?

It's already on order, Nigey. It would be rude not to.

That version of Geno was first aired on Jools's Hootenany at New Year 2013. It was a shock at the outset, but I've grown to like it. Eileen is very rarely played live these days, but it was the BBC and, I suppose, expected. My favourite version of all is a regret-filled piano/guitar recording from (Radio 2 again) the Baltic Centre gig just before the 2003 tour.

If you think I'M hardcore, look into the Dexys Facebook group and you'll see how much of a featherweight I am.

^ Thanks David


If you're a featherweight I probably don't even exist. I'm on that Facebook page and, yep, there are a few "dedicated" fans to be sure

Thanks hugely for those links, David... they did a mightily fine job of brightening up my morning, that's for sure. Thanks also for the reminder to pre-order the deluxe edition, which I'd been meaning to do.

Posted just moments ago...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmMPQ...

This bodes very well indeed for the new album, which won't be long in arriving now.

^ Ah yes, been waiting for this all day. It does indeed bode well.

Even if it does serve to make me feel shabbily dressed...

V positive review in today's Guardian of "Dexys: Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul"...


https://www.theguardian.com/music/201...

In a fit of thievery, I illegally downloaded the album on Wednesday and, happy to say, it's quite good. What it might lack in originality [ie: all covers] it more than makes up for by the sheer power of Rowland's abilities as an interpreter and by his gifted vocal talents.

Thanks Mark. Pretty much what I'd expect. I'll be listening later today.

I can already say it's a great version of "Carrickfergus" - better than Van the Man and Bryan F.

The large majority is pretty good. Not at all stuck on the take on To Love Somebody. Yet. ;)

As far as I'm concerned, this is the definitive version...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU3K6...

Thanks Mark, a new one to me. I will listen with interest. This is probably my favourite: http://youtu.be/7jgHOcXTr50

Ooh. Nina vs Gallon Drunk. It's a draw.

Was just reminding myself of other versions of To Love Somebody in my collection and concluded that this one is a rather splendid one too...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfbHS...
The Flying Burrito Brothers -"To Love Somebody"

That's probably the version I know best, Nigey. I play it when depping in a couple of cover bands and it's the Ethridge or Hillman (I forget who played on what) bassline that I've purloined.

There was a debate online a while ago, comparing the Gibbs' original version with Michael Buble's. I prefer being in a state if ignorance about the latter, I think.

David wrote: "I prefer being in a state of ignorance about the latter, I think. "


You're a wise man David

No argument from me about Nina Simone... I'm a massive fan.

I think maybe To Love Somebody is one of those songs that are so perfect, that it'd take a hell of a lot of effort to record a bad version. There's not many songs like that, at least not in my opinion. Even Fine Young Cannibals couldn't ruin Suspicious Minds, and Pet Shop Boys couldn't ruin Always On My Mind.

Of course, all bets are off once Michael Buble's chucked into the equation.

Dexys - To Love Somebody - Live at Rough Trade East (June 2016)....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5C15...

Dexys Weekend TV Show - Interview + Grazing In The Grass...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyhTN...

^ Kev loves a turn up :-)

...and Both Sides Now...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRBD-...