2008: The Bombay Badboy Mix

Here’s my 2008 Christmas CD. The rules of engagement state:

• Each CD shall contain no more than 60 minutes of primetime sounds.
• Each CD shall feature at least one artist no longer with us and at least one artist with a fully intact mortal coil. Bonus points for an obit song or two from someone recently deceased.
• Each CD will contain at least one song released in 2008 CE.
• Each CD shall come with at least five square inches (or 300x300px) of original cover art.
• Each CD shall contain the work of an artist seen performing live by the compiler within the last 365 days.

This year I’m providing some liner notes.

1. Holy Thursday – David Axelrod
David Axelrod is the guy who got Barack Obama into the White House. He is also the guy who did the gospel/jazz/funk version of Handel’s Messiah. So take that down to Fishamble Street. I was tempted to open with the Hallelujah Chorus but I imagine everyone has had enough of that by now.

2. Moon River – Kid Koala
Part of the deal with this mix is the inclusion of a Christmas cracker. Here it is, the number one single in the UK on December 25th 1961. This isn’t the Danny Williams version but I did see Kid Koala perfom it at the Vincent Gallo ATP a few years ago. Live with four decks, pretty impressive.

3. Bridges – Utah Phillips
Utah Phillips, RIP

4. URA Fever – The Kills
Stupid name, good song.

5. Nite Flights – Fatima Mansions
Back when Ireland was a dark spit of rock on the edge of the Atlantic, it produced angry young men who formed angry young bands. Like the Fatima Mansions. Here they are doing a Scott Walker cover. Scott Walker produced and arranged one of the gigs of the year in the Royal Festival Hall. Not that I know, I wasn’t there. Anyways, if this is anything to go by here’s to Ireland returning to that dark spit of rock state.

6. Converging in the Quiet – Crystal Slits
If the Teardrop Explodes were to form again in Brooklyn in the year 2009 CE they’d sound like the Crystal Slits. As it is the Crystal Slits sound kind of like them. Or maybe just another psyche-tinged Wooden Shjips rip-off.

7. Touched – Japancakes
Japnacakes could be plying the worst form of Phil Collins-esque MOR and I’d still have bought the Touched/Soon 7″. Why? Because their name, like Japanther, is amazing. Japan+Noun-beginning-with-pan = great band name. Every time. BTW: This one is also here because My Bloody Valentine were better than could be expected upon their revival and iwasthere.

8. Reykjavik Promises – Baltic Fleet.
First off the inclusion of this track keeps the nu-gazing theme going for another couple of minutes. Second, one of the most heinous things the British government has done all year is use the anti-terrorism act to freeze a huge amount of Icelandic assets. Plunging that small Island into even more hot water than it already finds itself in. Come on Gordon, you’ve more important thinks to be worrying about.

9. Drop out – Time New Viking
I saw these guys in March, got the album, played it once and thought it was rubbish. I was wrong it’s not.

10. I’m in love with a German Film Star – Sam Taylor-Wood + The Pet Shop Boys
The Pet Shop Boys are great. According to the tabloids, STW has been spending a lot of time with an ex-husband of Madonna. That’s good enough to go in my Christmas record.

11. Waitin’ for the Rain – The Philly Sound.
So many reasons for this song being on this mix. I don’t often enjoy being outside in the rain, but in October in Philly it was about as good as it gets. It got even better when the rain cleared about 10pm and the Phillies had game 3 of the World Series in the bag by 1.30am.
The song itself is also pretty good. In the era of Motown, Philly suffered as Detroit’s poor relation despite having Bunny Siegler and The Sound of Philadelphia label going at it hammer and tongs. As Motown morphed into Disco via New York City, Philadelphia was again left out. Not to worry. This classic is regarded by everyone-who-knows as a Disco tipping point, and by many as the first every fully fledged Disco floor filler. With good reason. If you listen to nothing else on the mix skip to this.
Lazy magazine hacks who rely on creating labels and trends where only serendipity exists have claimed 08-09 London is in the midst of a full blown disco revival. Maybe they’re right (in that case thanks to Discobloodbath, Todd Hart and Matthew Stone). And maybe that’s not a bad thing. Though how nu-Disco is going to cut it in the ’09 in light of these austere post neo-liberal economic times remains to be seen. Suck it up while you can is my only advice.

Errors and ommissions.
No room for Lyrics Born. Actually I simply forgot him. He put on what was my show of the year in Austin. Top man. Also should have had an obit tip o’ the cap to Ronnie Drew and Arthur C. Clarke. Not a musician, obviously, but a little bit of Strauss in honour would have been nice. Finally, there’s nothing on there from Portishead who released in The Rip the best song I heard all year and in Third one of the best albums. But this isn’t a best of list so go out and get the record if you’ve been remiss to leave it ’til now. I hear Zavvi are having a good sale…