Titus writes:
Rather than do my usual blog, where I tell you
about a band or artist, I thought I’d do a review of the various blogs
& happenings in 2024. Remember, you can check all blogs and
playlists out by going to the archive section on www.wtfisthis.ovh (or use the search box, bottom right).
I
started the year telling you about a band that I really feel strongly
about – in a nutshell I cannot understand why the Would Be’s never had
any commercial success. To me, like The Undertones were to Peely, they
were the perfect pop band, and whist they never ventured into any
obtuse genre, they just played pop brilliantly. I still play their
records and always will – in fact not a lot of people know that I shall
have the words ‘My radio sounds different in the dark’ embossed on my
tombstone. I also wrote about the late, indefinable eccentric that
was Ivor Cutler, and I was happy that this had good feedback
from IRC (judging by the log). Young Ivor wrote some bizarre
stuff, that John Peel once referred to as “An assault on the reason”.
As the Winter drew slowly to a close, I wrote about 70 Gwen
Party, Skimmer, Biosphere, Aphex Twin, and Doctor John
Cooper-Clark......the man who described his own appearance on ‘Desert
Island Discs’ as “All the finality of a suicide note, without actually
topping yourself”. We looked at the career of The Fall, plus the Sex
Clark Five, and the raucous punk band that are The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It
was pleasing to read another blog – this time on Northern Soul – by
Paul Mason.
Many
people have said to me over the years that I am privileged to have
been at the first ever Glastonbury Festival. They are right – the
music was magnificent, but please let me reiterate what I said in my
blog, that there were few other pleasantries about the event. It was
uncomfortable, not particularly well organised, had dreadful sanitary
facilities, and a very limited choice of food. However we did enjoy a
glass of Worthy Farm milk, as part of the admission fee of £1. Fast
forward to 2024, and contrary to most thoughts in 1970, this is now
perhaps the most Internationally known festival, and nowadays, tickets
are sold online, selling out in a matter of minutes. This year, I
thought PJ Harvey put in an exceptional performance, and the Vaccines
played an explosive session on the Woodsies stage. Predictably the
headline acts were Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Shania Twain, and Seasick
Steve. Talking of Dua Lipa, many of her adoring fans sat through Polly
Jean’s set, in order to ‘reserve’ their place when their heroin
eventually took to the same stage. They surely must have wondered what
on earth they had come to, listening to tracks from ‘Let England Shake’
and ‘The Hope Six Demolition Project’ !!!!
By
this time we were well into the festivals season, both at home and
abroad, and most festival goers really enjoy the open air and the
feeling of togetherness & happiness. I’m sure there are far less
crimes committed at festivals than in some cities. I won’t painstakingly
go through each festival, as there are so many. Increasingly popular
are the extended sets that DJ’s perform such as at “Tomorrowland”,
where top DJ’s like Charlotte de Witte play sets in excess of five
hours to a participative audience. There is nearly always a fantastic
light show and high energy dancing – oh how I wish I was young again!
I
talked of favourable comments via the I.R.C. and these were well
received when Lex “handed over the reins” to Anne & I in the Summer
and we chose the playlist of some memorable tunes we have enjoyed. I
also did a blog on the duo Underworld, which also received good
feedback. I’ve tried to cover all genres where I believe there is a
hidden talent , such as in reggae, country music, African music
(particularly soukous). I’m often asked which is my favourite and the
truth is anything that’s good to my ageing ears. Of all the blogs I
have compiled this year, I enjoyed an Autumn offering I did, of the new
band The Last Dinner Party most. Apart from the fact that ALL members
of this band can really play, they have a lead singer in Abi, who is a genuine show person with great stage presence.
I
think the track title of the year must go to Katina, with ‘Don’t stick
stickers on my paper knickers’ – and Lex played this track way back in
March. Bands / artists to look out for in 2025? I’d say The Last
Dinner Party, The Castellows, Wet Leg, Japanese Breakfast and Pom Pom
Squad to name but 5. Album of the year? Well, it’s officially classed
as an EP, but The Last Dinner Party’s ‘Prelude to Ecstasy’ gets my vote
every time. I’m sure many of you have different views – whatever they
are, I respect them.
I
have asked Lex to play something rather different this week. It’s
seasonal in that it’s about Christmas, and it’s a song that The Pogues
very narrowly missed out on, by not achieving the coveted ‘Christmas No.
1’ way back in 1987.(It reached No. 2, missing out to the Pet Shop
Boys’ ‘Always on my mind’). This was when Christmas number one’s
weren’t arguably so predictable as they are today. I refer of course
to ‘Fairy Tale of New York’, but this is a different version, performed
by Glen Hansard, Lisa O’Neill and the remaining Pogues, at the funeral
of Shane McGowan, held at St Mary’s of the Rosary Church, Nenagh,
County Tipperary. It can be found here - all the very best for the Festive Season.