NancyJohnson

To be honest, anything. Start from the beginning and listen to how they evolved!

A bit longer than four minutes, eh? 😏

OK kids. I've uploaded the 'This Is Pop' documentary to my Google Drive. It's 2GB, MP4 format and a joy to watch. I'll leave the link active until I need the space. Obviously files are prone to have download issues, if the link is on the wonk, let me know. You should just be able to click and download. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1__xzmx6z_hz4sSVieht-5NQVLRkImfgN/view?usp=sharing

If anyone wants to read further, here's a copy of Complicated Game - Inside The Songs of XTC by Andy Partridge and Todd Bernhardt. This came to me from a music writer pre-publication. It's in ePub format, so you'll need to download an ePub reader (Microsoft Store etc.). Obviously, it goes without saying, the book is still in print. Complicated Game - Inside The Songs Of XTC.epub

I'd concur with music from our formative years having a lasting effect on us, which us why I continue to enjoy certain periods of Japan, Queen, Sparks, Mott The Hoople, Sweet, Rich Kids, Cheap Trick etc. Coming to XTC at 40 years old made things a little different; the music doesn't etch itself into your psyche like it would have done when you're 15 years old, so it's genuinely harder work. The beauty here is also the wealth of additional content available if you want to do a deep(er) dive; Steven Wilson's curated reissues (and 5.1/Atmos mixes) are sublime.

I'm in contact with Colin, been trying to get him in for the 2025 SE Bass Basheroonie. He's declined - which is a huge shame - and I get the distinct feeling he finds the adoration a bit uncomfortable and bothersome. XTC are a weird one for me. I loved the singles back in the day, but they were more a guilty pleasure as musically my head was elsewhere. Sadly it was only after they called time that I really got into them; I suppose it was great to just go through the entire catalogue over a short period of time and appreciate how they evolved. It kind of saddens to read a comment like @Dad3353 giving the four minutes. While people obviously cite The Beatles as being the quintessential British band, XTC should also be seen as a national treasure, there's so much depth in the writing and arrangements, from the quirky angular punk/pop of White Music and Go 2 through to the majesty of Apple Venus and Wasp Star. The band were lyrically and musically smart. Andy Partridge once remarked something along the lines of the band being 'clever and from Swindon' which aptly characterised the struggle they were always going to face for exposure. Had it been New York, another story. The whole backstory is fascinating (try an watch the This Is Pop documentary for a quick deep dive to the withdrawal from touring, which just adds to the enigma). @Dad3353The whole catalogue is on Spotify; get yourself a coffee and listen to the Fossil Fuel collection; it's a decent entry point. Identify the tracks that light your candle and do an album - I'm not going to say you won't be disappointed (even though I just did), because you possibly will. Each to their own. They really were (and still are) a fantastic, fantastic band.

To make the hole smaller, or to grab the screw, a bit of a wood toothpick and some woodglue. Don't even bother letting it dry/set. Little bit of glue, pop the toothpick in, screw her home.

Ray Cokes just posted to Facebook about the closure: A lot has been said in recent days about the end of MTV. Although I of course feel for those who have lost their jobs at the company, I do think that this death of MTV as the end of an era has been slightly exaggerated. For me, MTV – the pure original Music Television – died a long time ago, perhaps as far back as the year 2000. For a long time now, music videos had been replaced by mindless reality shows and MTV no longer meant what it used to mean. However, I'm proud to have been a part of the revolution back then and shall be eternally grateful for my time spent there (some of the best years of my life) and the everlasting career it gave me in subsequent years, as well as the lifelong friendships forged in those heady, exciting days. Now, to the future. We all know that times have changed and we no longer get our music fix from television, preferring instead to watch what we want, when we want. As most of this viewing is done on YouTube, I have an idea for a future where those who enjoy curated musical suggestions, as well as those artists who appreciate (and need) the exposure, could satisfy their needs. What if YouTube started to offer a monthly paid license fee to online creators so that we could actually host a music show on their platform without being demonetised or suffering the dreaded copyright strike? A reasonable fee that would be shared between the record company and the artist, as well as Google naturally taking a piece of the pie. I for one would be so inspired to broadcast a weekly show that featured music videos and live interviews with the bands. There will of course be those who will pick apart this idea and tell me why it wouldn’t work; record companies who hate the idea of creators making (small) money off the back of their artists (although they already sold them out to the streamers) and others who will just tell me I’m an out of touch boomer or whatever. Bring it on. I don’t mind. It’s just an idea after all, and as I still meet so many people who miss the concept of MTV, as well as artists who bemoan the fact that there are hardly any outlets to promote their music these days, I still think it’s worth considering. Perhaps I’ll see you one day on Most Wanted 2.0. Until then, you can always hear my curated music on radioeins in Berlin, live between 21.00 and 23.00 CET every Saturday evening. On the radio, on the radioeins app or online at radioeins.de Thanks as always for your time and your never-ending positivity, love and support towards me and my work. It’s crap but I love it!

Basic set-ups are very easy (by basic, I'm saying truss rod adjustment, intonation etc ) and a small amount of tickling only takes a few minutes. Assuming the above actions go without any problem, you may be opening yourself up to additional problems.

The organising committee. Might be windy tonight.

Ooh!

If at all possible, if anyone has a 12-string bass they're prepared to bring along, I'd love to see how my XB Driver handles it.

I understand the whole country of manufacture and costing of instruments, but the scope of manufacturing within this business is unfathomable. I've said it for years that if Fender were a car maker, they'd have gone out of business decades ago. There's no real innovation; they're surviving off the back of under ten models, most of which have been in production for 60 years.

"Fender. Renaming the same old basses every year of so to keep you interested." Christ on a bike, more reinvention. If you look at Fender's UK site, they have 27 different series of bass instruments, and god knows what derivatives exist within those categories. We've had decades of these shenanigans. I honestly pine for the 70s, when it was pretty much American Precisions, Jazzes and maybe Mustangs/Musicmasters, limited colours, limited neck finishes. It just seemed simpler times.

I'm actually friends with Brad Steakly (Screams drummer) on Facebook. Huge Anglophile; I've posted a lot of stuff about London venues around the time they toured here in 1978/79 and he's asked a lot of stuff. He did mention that he was hoping to get the album rereleased at some point as the rights with Infinity have now expired; the plan was to bundle some live recordings from shows they did with Van Halen (there's videos of Angeline's Toys and Imagine Me, Without You). I was besotted with Screams.

Yeah, I know MTV hasn't really been about music for several decades. Half a dozen MTV channels being pulled off the air across Europe end of December. MTV has been more about reality TV shows than music for some time, for me, no great loss, but I do have fond memories of Headbangers and Ray Cokes.

I hadn't honestly thought about Blogspot searches. Found both albums after a bit of trawling. The Zones album is a delight. I'm 15 again.

I was sitting at home yesterday and I had a bit of a flashback about a few albums I'd owned (on vinyl) back in my youth that have never seen CD or streaming releases. Did cursory searches on Spotify (nothing), Amazon (nothing), Discogs (nothing/patchy). Maybe the way I'm wired, but the next day or two will involve intense searching and trying to track down The Zones - Under Influence, Screams - Screams, and another one I can distinctly remember a few songs from but the artist/album (so lengthy Google search under way). Sigh.

Afternoon chaps. Paul and I are having a meet-up midweek. I think we'll be trying to get some timings allotted for talks/Q&A etc. We may need a basic PA of some sort, so if you have a powered monitor that we could use, please let us know. I would like to do a blind test shootout again with Gary @cetera, so if you have a bass that you'd like included in that can you please let me know the make/model/specifics and ensure you have a stand for it (I'd need to print up some cards for marking). You can check the format here:

We live in times where we're afraid to be frank, brutal and honest with social posts, for fear of reprisals/replies in the form of if you can't say anything nice... but this is 100% spot on. It's an absolute munter of a bass. You have to have some love for an instrument you're going to pick up and play, but not this one. The headstock looks like Lego.

A week away from bass is a holiday in itself.

The SE Basheroonie is in Crowthorne, Berkshire in November. There's a thread elsewhere.

At our guitarist's suggestion, in an early iteration of Nancy Johnson, we decided to drop our surnames and go with our first and middle names. From his perspective, Pete James sounded so much more rock'n'roll than Peter Williams.

Say the word 'wally' and leave off the lee.