Regular readers will know we’ve been knee‑deep in the Battle of the Somme lately. We’ll pick that thread up again next week, but while the Great War is still echoing in the background, have a look at this remarkable interview.
Last Sunday — 12th July — carried its own historical weight. England quietly celebrated its 1099th birthday, the moment in 927 AD when King Æthelstan pulled the old Heptarchy into a single kingdom. East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Mercia, Northumbria, Sussex, Wessex: seven identities folded into one.
It was also the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne, William of Orange’s victory over James II in 1690 — still marked by huge parades across Ulster, the biggest indigenous folk festival in Europe.
History done. Time for music.
GARY GLITTER – “I Love You Love Me Love”
We’ve featured Glitter before — a deeply flawed and predatory figure, but undeniably central to glam rock. “I Love You Love Me Love” slows the tempo right down, which only makes the handclaps and chant feel bigger. The exaggerated movement, the glitter, the theatre — all the reasons he was dubbed “Mr Glam” are baked into this track.
LÉGION ÉTRANGÈRE – “Le Boudin”
A couple of weeks ago we had The Black Watch Pipes & Drums on the list — the first military band ever to appear here. This week, we’re back in uniform with the French Foreign Legion. “Le Boudin” is their official march, hypnotic and relentless. Even with shaky French, it pulls you in.
MY DYING BRIDE – “The Poorest Waltz”
Doom metal slows everything down — the riffs, the mood, the heartbeat. My Dying Bride, Bradford’s finest, helped define the genre. “The Poorest Waltz” is a perfect example: mournful, theatrical, and heavy without needing speed. Give it a listen and tell us what you make of it.
BILL WITHERS – “Ain’t No Sunshine”
Withers’ voice is one of those instantly recognisable instruments — warm, weary, human. “Ain’t No Sunshine,” from his debut album Just As I Am, remains one of the great soul laments. The Old Grey Whistle Test performance we’ve linked is from 1972, when we were far too young to remember it, but the emotional punch is still there.
THE EAGLES – “Hotel California”
A song that’s become shorthand for American excess and disillusionment. The guitar interplay in the outro remains one of rock’s great moments.
HEART – “Stairway to Heaven” (Live)
Heart’s Kennedy Center performance is one of the rare covers that genuinely honours the original. Ann Wilson’s vocal control is extraordinary.
PAUL HEATON & JACQUI ABBOTT – “Since You’ve Been Gone”
Heaton and Abbott continue to produce warm, sharply observed pop with real heart.
MORRISSEY – “Everyday Is Like Sunday”
A bleak hymn to seaside desolation. One of his finest solo tracks.
W. BRENT SAWYER – “Both Sides Now”
A gentle, melancholy take on Joni Mitchell’s classic.
JOE STRUMMER & THE MESCALEROS – “I Fought the Law”
Strummer revisits a song he helped immortalise. The Mescaleros era suited him — loose, global, political.
SPLODGENESSABOUNDS – “Two Little Boys”
Chaotic, affectionate, slightly unhinged — exactly what you’d expect from Splodgenessabounds.
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS – “Jellybaby”
A deep cut with unmistakable Corgan DNA.
