Rock and Roll Stories #42 - The joys of studio overdubs

Have you've ever wondered why the music you listen to at home sounds so different to the versions bands play live? If you are in a band you'll know, but just in case you are not, one of the main reasons is because the versions you hear on Spotify, CD's, vinyl records, etc, has been put together in a very different way to the music you hear being played live when you go to a gig (or at least it has if it was recorded after about 1955). Up until that sort of period, records were by and large live performances. In the mid 1950's, recording technology improved and adding tracks to records. In the early days, recording was done on reel to reel tape machines. Multi track recording made all manner of things possible for artists, such as singing harmonies with yourself, adding a triangle solo or the sound of cows mooing. All sorts of things.

This series of blogs isn't a historical document though, it is very much the story of one band existing in a period of constant change in the art of making rock and roll. Nowhere is this more true than in the way The False Dots record. Our first 'demo' if you can call it that, was recorded at a rehearsal on a portable mono cassette player. We knew no better. It sounded pretty rough. I can remember all being quiet at the start of each track. That was in 1979. Sadly the tape is long gone. At the time, we were quite proud of it. I played it to my mate at school, Boz Boorer of the Polecats. I saw him listening to something on his portable mono cassette playerinthe Orange Hill School common room. I asked if he fancied listening to The False Dots debut demo. He said OK. He put it on and this awful racket emerged from his player. He said "Did youy record that on a cassette player" I said "Yes". He said "If you want to do a proper demo you have to record it in a studio" and proceeded to play me the Polecats demo. I was gobsmacked. It sounded like a record. In fact it went on to be the Polecats first single, Rockabilly Guy, on Nervous records, an indie rock and roll label. 

I sheepishly asked where there was a studio we could make a demo in. Boz replied "Alan Warner from the Foundations runs one in Hendon". Immediately, my priority was to make a proper demo in Alan's studio. Events and band break ups meant that it took us a year to get it together. Homework was done. When I felt we were ready, we got Alan Warner down to listen. I thought that if we bought him a pint, he could give us some feedback. He did "Get rid of your drummer, he can't play". Alan arranged for a mate of his, Dav Davies to step in. With Dav, suddenly the False Dots sounded like a proper band. We recorded our first demo on Alans eight track tape machine. He gave us some great advice. As we had eight tracks, it meant two tracks of drums, a track ofPetes bass, my guitar, Paul Hircombes guitar and Pete's vocals. We had two tracks left. We double tracked Pete's vocals and I added an acoustic guitar to two tracks. The idea was to make it sound a bit more like seminal New York band The Velvet Underground. 

When it was done, we thought it was great and I took it into school to play to Boz and associated mates. They had expected it to be rubbish, like the first demo. They were shocked. It didn't really sound like anyone else. Pete left the band shortly afterwards, ace guitarist Craig Withecombe joined. We did a second demo at Alans studio. This time, I was more adventurous, adding a monophonic synthesiser to one track (Fog). If people were shocked when they heard the first demo, they were amazed by the second. Paul Hircombe had switched to bass and Craig had taken over lead guitar. Paul sang two songs and Craig two. The demo was really good and Chiswick Records boss Ted Carroll asked us to do another demo with more synth songs on. As I'd borrowed the synth and given it back, this never happened. 

The next demo was made at a 16 track studio in Sydenham in late 1982. It felt like we were in heaven, I added keyboards to the two songs, and we added some additional guitars etc. The result was "A Memory for you", which was our first song to be released, on a compilation record called "Directions" on 101 records. The real problem for me was that it was only after we finished the demos that I got my head around what we should have done with the extra tracks. It was an expensive process. 

In 1984, we went back into the studio, when Venessa Sagoe was in the band. We recorded three songs and our then 'manager' Dennis produced it. I thoroughly disliked him, but he was a great producer. He did things like getting Bill Pithers, who was then on lead, to play a guitar solo to Africa Morning with the tape reversed. His solo was backwards! It sounded great. The studio was a sixteen track in Reading.  Dennnis got some great backing vocals. Sadly, the rest of us had to sit in a broom cupboard whilst he worked. That was the only place to chill. Dennis also edited the tape with a razor blade. His work was very good and I think the demo stands up.

That was the last recording the False Dots did on tape. By the time we got back together and were doing demos, tape was old hat and now we record on a Mac Computer, with logic. There are no real constraints on what we can do. We can edit notes in and out of a solo, put 23 tracks of backing vocals on, etc. We spend endless hours "getting things right". I was out for a beer with Alan and I thought back to that first demo. We really reheased hard to ensure it was right. Now, we can edit bits of different takes together. I like a live vibe on tracks, so I try to avoid that. The big difference between our first demo and now is that we used to really rehearse properly for recordings, so we got a good version in one or two takes. Now, it is relatively easy to wing it and edit errors out. As a band, we are reasonably tight, but back in 1980, when we first went into Alans studio we were really on the button. 

In fact for all of our early demos, we were so well rehearsed that we always ended up with spare time to play with overdubs. As we'd booked and paid for the studio time, we thought we'd use it to the ultimate. Often this could be counter productive, as we'd put unneccessary frills on, then have to book another mix, and take them all off again. It was a much more communal thing back then. It was a day in the studio and all the band would be around. We'd all put some input into what was the best thing to put on the spare tracks. Occasionally, we'd have heated arguments about overdubs. When we recorded Fog and put the synth on, I removed Craig's guitar track. He was livid. I think he seriously considered quitting the band. Then he listened to it again and told me I'd been right. He was a good enough musician to see that it worked. Although I never really got on with Craig, I had a lot of respect for him as a musician. His response to what happened was to buy some extra effects for his guitar and write a new guitar part for the song. He felt that he had a point to prove. Sadly, shortly after, Dav left and his replacement didn't have the right feel for the song. When we were in Sweden in 1982, we had a long chat about the demo. Craig said that he felt that we should sketch out overdubs before we went in and not approach them in the spontaneous manner we had previously. I said that in principle that was a good idea, but often you only really hear the song properly in the studio and so you get ideas on the spur of the moment. We were both right. When we recorded A memory for you in Sydenham, the studio had a brand new Prophet V keyboard, that had amazing sounds. I said to Craig "Look I'll do one take and if you don't like it, I'll drop it" and we can try one of your ideas. Craig liked it and then did his guitar overdubs. Of all our recordings, it was probably, at that stage, the one we were happiest with, but listening back to it, I can still feel the frost in the room. 

I recently went to see the play 'Stereophonic' which is allegedly about Fleetwood Mac recording Rumours. I was disappointed. I had read about arguments about overdubs. It didn't really capture what I felt was the true nature of such arguments. The odd thing is that we'd get incredibly annoyed with each other, then as soon as it was clear that an idea worked, we'd go into back slapping mode. The dynamic changed when we got a female singer, who always sided with Craig, as she thought he was clever and a good musician and felt I was neither. Even when Craig had decided he liked my idea, she'd still be in his ear. Our bassst Paul Hircombe generally wouldn't get involved, but he did once say to her "you should listen to Rog, because he understands the feel of the song and he's usually right". I was quite shocked. Years after, Paul told me that when Criag and the singer left to set up their own band, they tried very hard to persuade him. Paul told them that you can't be a rock and roll band if you don't understand what rock and roll should sound like, and they didn't, wheras I did. 

Paul said that everything we'd ever recorded, good or bad, was rock and roll. He told me that his best memory of the band, was sitting up at 3am working our overdubs with me in Alan Warners studio on Fog. We were on a roll and it just seemed that everything we did worked. I am not sure, but in some ways, he may have been right. God Bless him up in heaven!

Anyway, we'll play out this episode with Pauls song. This song has more overdubs than anything I've ever recorded and doesn't eve have any singing! Paul wrote this in 1986 and we recorded it in 2007. Paul is on bass, Fil Ross plays lead, I play rythm, Keyboards and percussion, and Tony Cavaye played drums. Sadly, Paul never heard this. We played it at his funeral.

Rog T's Cancer Blog & Wellbeing Wednesday - Going in the right direction

 Back in February I outlined the challenges I had last year and my health targets for this year. Following my cancer surgery in August 2023, I had a follow up PSA test last week, so I thought now was an excellent time to give a round up. As mentioned in the February blog, a check up in November showed a few things that were not right. One of these was a raised thyroid level, as well as high cholesterol and an increase in my blood sugar, moving me firmly into the pre diabetic scale.

I responded to this by bringing in a pretty strict fitness regime. I've been doing an 18 hour fast 2-4 days a week. I've also cut out a lot of snacks etc from my diet. I don't drink 3-4 days a week (something I've been doing for a couple of years, but I've stuck to it more religiously).  I also set myself a target of doing 1,500km in the gym on the bike, rowing machine and treadmill. I also set my target weight as 14'7 by the end of the year. 

So where am I. Well lets start with the best news. My PSA is < 0.0, which means I can sleep easy for six months. I've been managing to go to the gym  4 times a week. I've already met my 1,500km target and I'm hoping to do 2,500km by the end of the year. I am back on the treadmill (just) although I am walking at incline rather than running at the moment. I am building up to that. My thyroid level has returned to normal. I read that if you are on Omnprazol, you should increase your selenium levels. I've been eating brazil nuts and this seems to have worked. As for the cholesterol and glucose levels? Well the surgery didn't do the tests, so I don't actually know. I asked for them, but that didn't happen. 

My weight is down to 15'12. As I predicted, the first stone and a half is easy to lose, then it gets hard. I've only lost 1lb since June, but that is still progress. My BMI is no longer obese. I am on the high end of fat. I must add that this is all without the help of any weight loss drugs. 

Mentally, I am in a reasonably good place. I seem to have a couple of days a month where I struggle a bit to motivate myself. Being in a band and making music helps. 

Anyway, that is all. Having had two days fasting and not drinking, today is a day off!

What have Bonnie Blue's videos got to do with sex?

 First, a bit of context. I am a dinosaur. I still have a couple of newspapers delivered every day and I read them, over a cup of tea before I get up in the morning. It sets me up for the day and I had always hoped it would give me an informed view on the issues of the day. My papers of choice are The Guardian and The Daily Express, to give me a range of views on both the left and right. There was a time when both papers had regular columnists who were brilliant writers and gave a unique perspective on the events that mattered. Since the passing of Frederick Forsyth, who wrote for the Express and was always interesting, just about the only writer left who I make a point to read is the Guardians sketch writer John Crace. The Express buys freelance articles that are occasionally interesting, Sadly many are written by befuddled cranks, who simply aren't capable of putting a coherent article together. One recently spelled out a dystopian future for England, where we were all forced to live in an Islamic state, St Pauls was the Mosque of the 7/7 martyrs, and, wait for it, we were all forced to be Transgender? I kid you not. The poor fool who wrote the article simply didn't understand that whatever radical Islam may or may not be, it isn't woke and if it ever took over, Gay rights would not be on the agenda. 

As for the Guardian. This morning, I was treated to an article by Gaby Hinsliff, about porn star Bonnie Blue making a video where she had sex with 1,000 men in 24 hours. The sad thing is that it was probably the most interesting article in a very dull edition. This time of year used to be called "the silly season and the article certainly fitted the title Hinsliff's premise is that as Blue is making a fortune from the men (they are not paid for appearing), she is not being exploited. As Blue has had a Channel Four documentary made about the project, she is doing rather well in what us music business types call hype. I did some quick maths. To meet her target, she would be servicing around 44 men an hour, which is less than 90 seconds per person. To facilitate this, she advertised for 'just legal' University graduates. I guess a  primary requirement is to be able to perform quickly. God only knows what was going through her mind when the 834 fresh faced young man delivered his load. Whatever it was, I doubt it was anything to do with how enjoyable and memorable the moment was. As for young man number 834? He probably will be telling all his mates 'she loved it' and celebrated his luck at bedding a porn star. Unless he picked up and STD, I doubt he'll come to much long term harm.

I am fairly relaxed about the issue of pornography, when there is not exploitation involved and everyone is a grown up. It is by and large unrealistic and devoid of fun. I grew up in an age when access to porn was not straightforward. When I was 18, porn videos had just started being circulated. Given that I was living with my folks, who were strict Catholics and video was in the front room, it was not really feasible to watch such things. By the time I had the opportunity to enjoy such materials, I had a girlfriend and felt I had no need for such things (yes I know that is an old fashioned view). Although in my teens, I was rather partial to spending time with as many females as possible, by the time I was 20, I had concluded that I preferred to just be with one person I liked. My view, again pretty old fashioned, was that sex was actually best with someone you liked and when you could take your time and enjoy the moment.

I can imagine no worse vision of hell than having to watch Bonnie Blue spending 24 hours with a long line of 16 year olds making out in a rather dull fashion. My guess is that in twenty years, she'll be presenting a knitting show on channel four and saying how dull it is when the next generation of Only Fans star has sex with 10,000 young men in an hour.

What has interested me more, when it comes to the issue of online porn, is the outrage of Reform MP Rupert Lowe at the online safety bill. This requires platforms that share porn to prevent accounts that are not properly verified to see hard core porn. To see it, you need to prove you are over eighteen. Clearly Rupert is not keen on sharing his age with such companies. Personally, I don't really think that stopping children from having easy access to porn is a bad thing. If you are 18+ and want to watch such things, then it seems easy enough to get access. If you are prepared to share your credit card with Only Fans, then surely a snap of your passport or whatever other mechanism they use should not really be an issue.

Hinsliff is correct to applaud the business acumen of Bonnie Blue. She has clearly twigged a way to make a lot of cash quickly. I can't imagine it was much fun, but then again, working as a plumber, removing turds and tampons from blocked drains is not much fun either. There is an old saying "where there's muck there's brass". Never has it been truer. 

Growing up in the 1960's - The joys of playing on the M1 as a kid

When I was a wee nipper, back in the mid 1960's, gardens were a treasure trove of interest to young boys such as myself. There were still homes with Anderson shelters in the back garden, many gardens around Mill Hill had detritus from the two railway lines and the recently constructed M1 Motorway. In our street, Millway, we had both at the bottom of the garden. In the no mans land between gardens and the recently built M1, you would find all manner of weird and wonderful things. The land had been railway sidings before the M1 was build and there were still plenty of artefacts lying around. 

Myself and my mates even built a 'base' in this no mans land, our of old sheets of iron and old water tanks. We christened it Ironbase. We'd but my mate Rick's little brother Luke in it and bombard it with rocks, bricks, stones and clods of dried mud. The dried mud clods were the best, as they'd explode like mortar shells if you lobbed them really high. Luke developed a fascination in 'iron base' and ensured it was constructed to the highest standards possible.  As he's now a top engineer, I think it set him up for life. Although it sounds awful, the base was more than capable of withstanding the bombardment and for us the fun was hearing the loud bangs as the lobbed detritus clanged on the base. Perhaps the most spectacular assault on Iron Base was when we found a gallon of petrol that had been disgarded over the M1 fence. We decided to see if Iron Base could withstand a molotov cocktail. A milk bottle was acquired and the plan was made to perform the test, when no parents were around. I had no idea what to expect, but the results were spectacular, beyond our wildest dreams, resulting in a fire engine being called by a neighbour. Sensibly, we'd not put anyone in the base for the test. I think we'd done it when Luke wasn't around, as we wanted to ensure that no one told on us. Some of the vegetation and shrubbery got burned The fire brigade put it down to a stray cigarette from the Motorway starting a fire. To be honest, by the time they got there, it has burned out. They just saw some smouldering shrubs and some blackened metal sheets, at the time there wasn't much to birn there. 

Oddly there was hardly a mark on it. The neighbour who'd reported it had been most worried that we'd been involved, but we'd legged it and were watching the telly, feigning innocence. He claimed that he'd seen us playing there earlier. In truth, my Dad wasn't terribly interested. He thought setting things on fire was a perfectly normal pursuit for bored boys. When my parents realised that we'd constructed Iron Base, we were forbidden from 'playing on the motorway. Fortunately, they were too lazy to actually dismantle it and we didn't listen.

Another favourite game was building bonfires and throwing lumps of asbestos on, which would explode, doubtlessly showering us all with dangerous particles. There was plenty of old sheets of asbestos just left when the railway buildings were demolished. We didn't know it was dangerous. It was quite spectacular the way it exploded. I wouldn't recommend it though. 

In truth, railways, building sites, bomb sites (of which there were still many), were places of fascination. We'd go exploring, as would most kids my age. Occasionally, we'd find the strangest things. The other boys at school were equally 'inquisitive'. Occasionally, we'd hear reports of guns and bullets being found. Even mundane things seemed rather interesting though. We'd go exploring on the Motorway embankment and deposit all manner of old signage, workmens lamps, bits of fences, etc in Iron base for later investigation, The old road works paraffin lamps were especially treasured. Often these would be painted and hung in sheds. It is odd, back in those days, there were all manner of perils we were warned about. There were even public safety films made, advising kids not to hide in fridges. At school, we were warned about playing on railway lines and also of the dangers of derelict houses. We never listened. 

As we grew up though, we lost interest in such things. As the cutting next to the M1 became overgrown, there was less to find. We had other things to interest us. Expeditions over the fence became more difficult as nettles and brambles grew. Iron base eventually rusted away. When I was about 14 Rick moved away. Like moved a couple of years later, I'd got into punk rock and Luke, who was a couple of years younger had discovered Motorhead. I didn't see him for a couple of decades. Through facebook, we eventually met for a drink. When we got chatting, the subject of Ironbase came up. We both agreed that it was a highlight of our youth. I am not sure either of us would be chuffed at the idea of our kids doing the same sort of things when they were 7 or 8. 

If Benjamin Netanyahu really cared about Israel he'd resign as Prime Minister

 Whatever you may or may not think of Israel, wherever your sympathies lie in the Palestine/ Israel situation, anyone who looks at the record of their Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can only conclude that the man has been a disaster all round, he is an obstacle to any settlement and peace and that nothing good is likely to happen whilst he is in charge of Israel. In two months time, it will be two years since the 7th October 2023 attack. Hamas has not been destroyed, innocent Israeli citizens are still held in tunnels, people on both sides are still dying. When the attack first happened, an Israeli friend told me with absolute certainty "within six months, Hamas will cease to exist and every hostage will be freed". He is as hard line a Zionist as you are likely to meet. I bumped into him yesterday and we had a long chat. He reminded me of all of the successes of Mossad, etc over the last two years. They decapitated the leadership of Hezbollah with the exploding pagers. They have effectively emasculated Iran and their nuclear programme. But the difficult truth is that Hamas still exist. The hostages are still in tunnels and even my friend admitted that Hamas had proven a harder nut to crack than he ever anticipated.

I asked him what he thought of Netanyahu as Prime Minister. He finds it very hard to be critical, I suspect he feels that it is an act of disloyalty to criticise Israel when they are at war, but he did say "We need a new Prime Minister, however you look at his record, history will not judge him well". I was actually gobsmacked at this response. He explained that he was worried that Netanyahu had lost the trust of Donald Trump and that is something that Israel simply can't afford to happen. I know little of Israeli politics, I have no idea who would be a good or a bad replacement should he go, and it's not really my job to advise Israelis. My friend mentioned a couple of people. I thought I'd ask Google, rather oddly, all I got was links to rather old articles. I asked @Grok on Twitter and the answer I got seemed to follow the logic and views of my friend yesterday

As of August 2025, with Netanyahu's coalition fracturing and early elections likely, Naftali Bennett emerges as a strong successor candidate. Polls show his leadership could secure an opposition majority. Bennett opposes Palestinian statehood, favors annexing West Bank areas, and supports aggressive policies against Hamas.

Reading this brought to me, the old adage "Careful what you wish for", in respect to those who support Palestinian causes and wish to see Netanyahu booted out. It rather sounds as if Bennett is more, rather than less hard line. Having said that, he would not have the baggage that surrounds Netanyahu. Of course a major realignment in Israeli politics is the only way that there will be a major change in the direction of Israeli/Palestinian relations. That will only happen if an election delivers a significant change in the balance of the Israeli Parliament. I suspect that will only happen if the Israeli electorate actually believe that any peace process will not fundamentally put the existence of Israel at risk, which has always been the Ace up the sleeve of Netanyahu. 

There is a view that Netanyahu is hanging on to power to avoid criminal charges. Personally I doubt that he will ever face a court, but he clearly doesn't fancy taking the chance. If, however, the people and small parties that support him, decide that someone like Bennett would have better electoral prospects and could rebuild the trust between Israel and Trump, Netanyahu may have no choice in the matter. As far as I can see though, his tenure as Prime Minister is no longer about what is best for Israel. That is never a good situation for anyone. 

Talking to other friends who are sympathetic to the Palestinian cause recently, some of whom are also Israeli's, they passionately believe that Netanyahu will ultimately end up before the court at the Hague charged with war crimes. This can only happen when he is no longer Prime Minister and loses the immunity from prosecution that comes with it. When I suggested that they may get an even more hardline PM, they said they would happily accept that if it saw Netanyahu in court. Personally, I doubt Israel would ever give up an ex PM to the Hague, whether he was guilty or not. Even his biggest enemies in Israel understand the precedent that would set.

The most depressing for me when writing about the Middle East is that the more I read about the situation, the less I see a way that the area will ever see any degree of peace. For all of my life, the best that can be hoped for is that fragile ceasefires give people in the area a modicum of normality. I am an optimist and dearly hope that a new generation of leaders emerge on both sides, that can actually deliver a just and lasting peace. I suspect that I'll be a very old man if I ever see that. One thing I am absolutely certain of, is that when we read the history of the Middle East in a hundred years, it will not judge the tenure of Benjamin Netanyahu kindly, whatever happens. The man has been a complete disaster for Israel, the Palestinian people and the world. I suspect that he is the main reason that some people, in my opinion rather misguidedly, see Hamas as a credible force for peace. As far as I am concerned, Hamas is a major reason why Israeli's vote for Netanyahu and he knows it. As for Hamas, their grip on Gaza has git stronger, not weaker since Netanyahu took power. I can only conclude that If Benjamin Netanyahu really cared about Israel he'd resign as Prime Minister.

The Saturday List #493 - My top ten female Londoners

To celebrate the success of the Lionesses last Sunday, I thought I'd do a Saturday list of my top ten female Londoners. ALthough I could make a list of singers, I have decided to choose one outstanding female from different walks of life. 

1. Amy Winehouse. Had to start with Amy, the voice of a generation and a much loved customer of Mill Hill Music Complex. As someone who runs a studio and sees hundreds of female singers pass through our doors, it is 100% clear just how influential Amy was and still is. 

2. Elizabeth Taylor. Liz Taylor was born in London to American parents in 1932 and was raised in London until the second World War started. Taylor was a brilliant actress as well as a thoroughly decent human being, championing AIDS causes when it was still very much a taboo subject. She was also very beautiful (with a passing resemblance to my missus to boot!).

3. Kelly Holmes, Olympic medalist was raised in London. A double olympic champion. There are plenty of sports women to consider, but for me Kelly Holmes was a real ground breaker.

4. Dianne Abbott. Again, there are plenty of female politicians born in London. I picked Dianne Abbott for several reasons. She was the first black female MP. I really admire her. I doubt anyone on the planet has had more abuse thrown at her. Sure she makes mis-steps, sometime says silly things, but she has balls and I will always side with the person being bullied. I know few people who seem to attract such abuse. The fact she takes it and carries on is something that those who criticise her should appreciate. 

5. Verity Lambert. Lambert was a film and TV producer. Her work included Budgie, Rock Follies,  The Naked Civil Servant and Minder. This was at a time when women didn't do such things. I met her a couple of time, as she was a mate of my cousin, film director Midge McKenzie.  Midge once told me that if I ever had daughters, make sure they were aware of the work of Verity Lambert, who was a shining example to everyone.

6. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836-1917) Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was a pioneering physician and political campaigner. She was the first Englishwoman to qualify as a doctor. Female physicians were unheard of in 19th century Britain and her attempts to study at a number of medical schools were denied. In 1865 she passed the Society of Apothecaries examinations and gained a certificate which enabled her to become a doctor. The society then changed its rules to prevent other women entering the profession this way. How could I not include her! I used to walk past the hospital she founded on the way to work.

7.  Elizabeth Webber-Harris. The only woman ever to receive a Victoria Cross. Sadly, the ridiculous conventions of the day, meant that it was not an official VC, it was a replica for ceremonial purposes. I am amazed that there has never been a campaign to upgrade it to the full VC. It was presented with the full blessing Queen Victoria herself. 

8. Pauline Boty. I've written before about Boty, my favourite female artist. Sadly largely forgotten, one day I will write a song and make a video about her. To my delight, a TV documentary was shown about her last year.

9. Emmeline Pankhurst. Although born in Manchester, she is an adopted Londoner, and is buried in the City. The leader of the Suffragette movement, who got women the vote. How could I not include her

10. Poly Styrene. Rules are made to be broken. I know I said one person from each category. For me though, Poly Styrene was too important to ignore. I doubt Poly would have become a Pop star at any other time except during the punk movement. Poly made no concessions to the industry. Her songs were about subjects that most people never even thought of writing songs about. Even more important though was her anti fashion stance. She was very female but not in a sexualised way.  I think Poly probably inspired more people to be themselves than anyone.

And finally. I will finish on a personal level,  with Connie Abbe, former singer of The False Dots. You may not have heard of her, but if there was any justice in the world, she'd be a superstar. A brilliant singer and a  joy to work with. 

Rock and Roll Stories #41 - The Other side of Rock and Roll's wild things!

 This week saw the passing of a Rock and Roll legend, Jock McDonald, a great mate of The False Dots. There were many myths and fables about Jock. Whatever you may have thought about him, it was never dull to be in his company. Jock was one of a number of movers and shakers of the rock and roll scene that I have the privilege to know and to have spent time with. When I got over the shock news of Jock's tragic passing in a swimming accident, I reflected on a few of the fun times we shared. But it made me also reflect on the fact that Jock, like many of the wild things of Rock and Roll, had  a fearsome reputation, but in person he was a great person to be around. As someone who has dabbled in both the world of politics and rock and roll, I reflected on the differences between the two. Whereas politics is (supposedly) built on the principles of integrity and honesty, the individuals you meet in that world almost never live up to those principles. Rock and Roll is built on hype and bullshit, but you actually get very little of that from rock and rollers. Politicians seem to despise and resent the people who support them. Rock and Rollers love them. I am always shocked by just how much politicians, who are almost invariably totally without talent, think we are lucky and should be grateful to have them. Rock and Rollers are the opposite. We are always lucky and grateful to have fans.

Back in 1987, I found myself at a gig and standing next to me, at the bar was Bob Geldolf. We had a brief chat, I asked him if his next move would be into politics "No, they are all C**ts" was his reply. It took me three more decades to realise just how right he was. It is quite remarkable really that the greatest thing Great Britain acheived in my lifetime was Band/Live Aid. It was put together by a bunch of scalliwags, who less than a decade earlier had been seen as "the enemy within". Whilst I accept that it wasn't perfect, it was a serious attempt by the musical community to try and make the world a better place. At the time, I went to the alternative Live Aid at Dingwalls. I didn't see Queen or McCartney. I was bopping alng to Johnny Thunders, Mari wilson , Edwin Starr and The Glitter Band (minus Gary!). To this day, musically I think I made the right choice. One of the nice things about that day was that all of the bands hung around and chatted to fans.

It was one of many benefit gigs that I've been to, organised by musicians over the years. I've organised a fair few and the  likes of Lee Thompson from Madness, Chris Spedding, The Foundations and Kate Nash have all jumped in and donated their time for free. In fact often what started out as a gigs for the False Dots, where we raise a few quid, became a major fundraiser and we ended up bottom of the bill, as the likes of Lee Thompson roped his celebrity mates into doing slots! Of course our efforts are miniscule in comparison to what Live Aid raised, but many charitys are kept running by such things. It is important to keep doing such things. 

One of perhaps the most illuminating stories was when I was asked to be a character witness for the former bassplayer of The False Dots in a major trial. He'd been on crimewatch as part of a gang that stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from gaming machines in in motorway service stations. When he was caught, I was asked to say something nice about him. I wrote a a speech and ran it by Pauls lawyer. I listed all of the charity gigs Paul had played at over the previous six years and the money raised for charities. Paul gave his time and talent for free and helped make sure it all happened. His lawyer told me to go and rewrite my speech, deleting all references to the gigs. He explained that the court would simply assume Paul was pocketing the cash. I objected and said that he didn't have anything to do with the cash, but they were insistent. The British establishment simply couldn't understand that a scalliwag like Paul was capable of compassion and caring. 

People often ask me about the celebs that come through the studio and want to hear tales of larceny and bad behaviour. It is so rare as to be almost unknown. The likes of The Damned, Tom Jones, Amy Winehouse, Lee Thompson, Raye, Flo, etc have been regular customers over the years. All have been lovely and a joy to have around. The last time I saw Amy was in 2008 in a Camden pub. I was out for beers with my football mates. I saw Amy, worse for wear in the corner, with a group of hangers on. I didn't want to intrude on their fun. One of my mates said "I thought you said you knew her".  I replied "I don't bother people when they are out with friends". I was at the bar and got a nudge. It was Amy, despite having been, shall we say, over enjoying herself with substances that may or may not have been legal. she made the effort to come up. She said "How's the studios, give my love to Fil and Darren". We had a little chat and she returned to her mates. As stories go, it is rather boring, but that is how it is.

I'm not saying we've not had shenanigans and naughtyness, but it has almost always been good humoured. The worst, most horrible customers are usually people who are not professional musicians, but have a lot of money, not much talent and think it is Rock and Roll to be a twat. I am old enough and wise enough to have none of that. One particularly obnoxious customer reacted to being banned from the premises by announcing "You can't ban me, I'm a lawyer". I replied "I am not banning you for being a lawyer, I am banning you for being a twat". I genuinely don't think anyone had ever spoken to him like that. About two years later, I saw him at a gig and he humbly apologised. He has been well behaved since then and is allowed back in. It is perhaps funny to think it takes a bit of rock and roll to educate such people. 

I have a theory. I believe that you can't really make great rock and roll music in a band without some level of human empathy and the ability to work together. When we mix with our own, we remember that!

 

Two days after the Lionesses made us proud, Barnet's Labour Council is to be taken to Court for sex discrimination

File under "You couldn't make it up". The Labour Party was founded by Trades Union members and the Unions pay the bills for the party, regardless of whether the Leader is Jeremy Corbyn or Tony Blair. Whilst the root and branch membership of the Labour Party are proud of this association, it seems that as soon as Labour Politicians get their hands on the levers of power, they somehow seem to have a conscience bypass. Back on the heady night in 2022, when Labour took power and booted the Tories out, I spoke to the rather shell shocked Leader of the Barnet Labour group and the new leader of Barnet Council, Barry Rawlings. I made a note of his exact words. I didn't do this so I had a rod to beat him with, but because I thought what he said was important and I was impressed by his sentiments.

Barry said "We won't get everything right, I am sure we will make a lot of mistakes on the way, but whatever we do, we will put fairness, equality and decency at the centre of it" He then went on to say "I expect you to hold us to account and remind us of this when we do get things wrong". Although Labour has made many mistakes, I've had no reason to remind Barry of his pledge. Until now. Today, two days after the Lionesses amazing victory, where we are all basking in the reflected glory of our amazing female team, a dispute has been launched by the Public sector workers union UNISON, alleging that Barnet Council and its Labour bosses are acting in a discriminatory manner towards their own female employees. The Press Release says:-

"Barnet UNISON is urging its female members in the London Borough of Barnet (LBB) to come forward as the union prepares to launch a collective legal challenge over potential equal pay breaches by the Council.

The move follows extensive investigations into pay practices within LBB, particularly in relation to the use of “task and finish” arrangements in the Waste & Recycling service. UNISON believes there is now sufficient evidence to support equal pay claims with reasonable prospects of success.

John Burgess, Branch Secretary of Barnet UNISON, said:

“The possibility that staff – the majority of whom are women – may have been underpaid for years is deeply concerning, especially in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Equal Pay is not just a legal right, it’s a fundamental matter of fairness. UNISON is committed to ensuring our members receive the pay they are legally and morally entitled to.”

The union is now asking affected members to complete an Equal Pay case form detailing their job roles, grades, and employment history. This information will allow UNISON to assess each claim and proceed with legal and procedural steps, including lodging a collective grievance and initiating early conciliation.

Barnet UNISON is also reminding staff of the strict six-month legal time limit for making an Equal Pay claim. Anyone who has recently left the Council or changed roles is urged to act quickly.

UNISON has led the fight for Equal Pay in local government for over a decade, winning millions in compensation for underpaid workers. The union will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with Barnet Council while preparing to take legal action where necessary."

It really is appalling that now, of all times, such inequality is happening in Barnet, especially with a Labour Council. Now we all know there is no magic money tree and with cash tight at Barnet Council, it is hard to sort these sort of matters out. However, not only is it morally wrong to pay discriminatory pay rates, it is against the law. Any legal action will cost taxpayers money, and I for one, resent my hard earned cash being spent to defend the indefensible.

I sincerely hope that Barry Rawlings now picks up the phone to Unison branch secretary John Burgess, who is decent man and an excellent Union Rep and gets him around a table to resolve this. The people who are suffering as a result are amongst the lowest paid employees on the Borough payroll and if Barry really is a Labour politicians, he should start acting like it and sort this out. If you see Barry out and about, please ask him if he still believes what he told me on the night he was elected. 

Guest Blog - From the Our North Finchley Campaign - Our North Finchley Campaign Launch

 

Our North Finchley: Launch Event! Wednesday 30th July 2025 at 7pm St Alban’s Church Hall, Nether Street (Entrance to the hall is to the left of the church) We are holding the official launch of OUR NORTH FINCHLEY next Wednesday! + Find out more about the campaign + Collect leaflets to deliver in your area + Meet others taking action locally Whether you can help a little or a lot, we would love to see you there! Let’s stand up for our town together!

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Jock McDonald RIP - A true punk legend and good mate of The False Dots

Jock McDonald

22nd June 2024 flyer

Devastated to hear the tragic news that one of our great mates, Jock McDonald of punk legends, The Bollock Brothers has passed away. The False Dots played with the Jock and the Bollock Brothers many times over the years, at such Camden haunts as The Dublin Castle and The Purple Turtle, as well as other venues around town, most recently on the 22nd June last year at the Charly Records 50th anniversary party at the Dublin Castle.

The band, especially our drummer Rambo were involved in all manner of rock and roll shenanigans, going back to the 1980's with Jock. Life was never boring with Jock around!

Anyone who knew Jock will know he was a larger than life character, who embraced the punk ethic and chaos. He was also a great front man and someone who made things happen.

We'll not see the likes of Jock again.

www.donegaldaily.com/2025/07/27/shock-and-sadness-at-tragic-death-of-punk-legend-jock-mcdonald/

The tectonic plates are shifting in British Politics and if you aren't paying attention you might just end up with a dictatorship in No 10

 This week we saw Jeremy Corbyn launch a new political party. Rather imaginatively named "Your Party" it has certainly caught the attention of those on the left of the Labour Party (and those who left the party because they were on the left and had had enough). It now has an email list with half a million signed up supporters. That is more than twice the number of people who have PAID to join Reform. If they all dig into their wallets, when the party actually starts to exist and you can join, it will be the biggest party in the UK. It will still only be around 1% of the population, but my guess is that they will largely be politically motivated people, who are willing to work hard as activists. What does "Your party" actually stand for? Despite Jeremy Corbyn being leader of the Labour party for several years, it occurred too me that most of us don't really know what he stands for. Is he pro or anti rejoin? Who does he support in the Ukraine war? Does he support Hamas, or is he simply someone who wants to see Palestinians have a nation? Would he renationalise water, rail, BT, gas & electricity? Does he support mass immigration, or as a Union man would he restrict it to maintain members pay & conditions? Does he think women can have a willy? You may have your own opinion of what Corbyn believes on these matters, but I have keenly watched Corbyn and I am not at all sure. It is pretty clear what many of his supporters views are on these matters, but Corbyn has been far less vocal publicly than you would imagine. I suspect this is because he hoped to be let back into Labour. Unlike when he was Labour leader, he can actually speak his mind. I'd love to interview him for the Barnet Eye and ask him directly. I think that a hard left approch to some of these, such as Nationalisation would be big vote winners. Issues like support for trans people would be more divisive for his supporters, as some are very pro trans rights and others are militant left wing feminists. When Hamas launched the October 7th attacks, Corbyns views on Israel seemed to be at the absolute margins of British politics.What has transpired since, with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, has lead many corades of Corbyn to proclaim "Gezza was right". I am not sure the majority of British voters are behind Corbyns traditional pro Palestinian viewpoint, but it is clear that many who were horrified by the 7th October attacks have lost sympathy and patience with the policies of the current Israeli government. I was chatting with someone who had been four square behind Israel until relatively recently, who said that he simply couldn't support a regime in Israel that lets babies who were not even born when Sept 7th happened starve. The current Israeli regime had until recently been able to claim that if you didn't support the policies of the current regime, you were an anti semite. It appears to me that this has worn thin. In the last week or so, I've seen more than a few Jewish friends on Facebook, who have never been critical of Israel previously saying "not in my name". Of  course there are plenty who still support the regime, and claim that Hamas are entirely to blame, but my reading of the room is that this view is rapidly losing traction. The harsh truth is that the goodwill towards the Israeli regime, which followed the 7th Oct attacks is dissipating amongst those who are not hardline supporters of either Israel or the Palestinian cause. 

My view? The Netenyahu regime does not represent all Jews or even all Israelis. It failed massively in letting the 7th October attacks happen. I have spoken to an Israeli friend, familiar with their army and seccurit, who tells me that he is familiar with the region and the location of the attacks. He says that the idea that Hamas could run riot for so long is incomprehensible. The Israelis have all manner of security measures in place to ensure such a thing simply cannot happen. They had informers in Gaza, listening posts, drones, watchtowers, sensors, army units on 24 hour standby, attack helicopters ready to take off. His view was that if the Hamas breach lasted for more than ten or fifteen minutes, without a massive response, something was simply not right. I am not going to speculate as to what, but he tells me that the fact that the current regime did not lose power immediately was a disgrace. 

As to Hamas. They are not Palestine or the Palestinian people. They do not stage elections and God help Palastinian in Gaza who opposes them. I have no sympathy with the apologists who excuse them. As best I can tell, they launched the attacks as they knew what the Israeli reaction would be and they are happy with it. They gambled, correctly it seems, that if they hung on long enough, sooner or later world opinion would swing against Israel. The fact that the French have said they will recognise the state of Palestine confirms that this strategy is working. 

I can't see how there can ever be peace when you have Hamas and Netenyahu. I simply don't think the world would support the complete destruction/relocation of Palestinians in Gaza. I don't think Netenyahu can back down from his policies as the consequences for him personally would be rather difficult, to say the least. I see no way out of this with the current players controlling the chess board. However, history tells us that sometimes the likes of Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley can work together and sort things out, so maybe there is a glimmer of hope. Donald Trump needs some good news. He is, perhaps, the only person who can broker a deal. If he succeeds, he surely will get the Nobel prize, to gold plate and hang on the wall. But only the greatest optimists on the planet expect that to happen. 

But this blog is not about the Middle East. It is about the UK and our politics. My purpose for giving my analysis, is that charges of anti semitism destroyed Corbyn as leader of Labour. It is really important to understand that if Corbyn plays his cards right, he can make the case that he wasn't being anti semitic in his criticism of Israel and what has happened has justified this. I am not passing an opinion on whether this is correct, simply predicting that this is the line he will take. It is no coincidence that he has chosen this moment to launch his new party. If Corbyn has read the British public well, this may bear dividends for him. In short, what seemed to be a Kryptonite spear through his heart may have become his secret weapon.

If his new party gets its act together, he may get 30-40 defections from his colleagues on the left, some of whom are already suspended. Labour activists and branches are far more left leaning that Keir Starmer and his cabinet. There are plenty of trades unions with cash to fund a new left wing party and activists and resources to staff it. If Corbyn can persuade them to jump ship, then Starmer is in huge trouble.  If, and this is a big if, the British public decides Corbyn is not the anti semite bogeyman we were warned about and he was actually right about Israel all along, then we may well see the biggest Political resurrection in 2000 years. The launch of "Your Party" has been ridiculed, but I would caution anyone who dismisses it as a bunch of fringe loony lefties, that there are a huge number of people on the left who do not like Starmer and would be more than happy to cheer Corbyn at Glasonbury again.

And then there is the right. Reform are ahead in the polls. We are seeing riots outside asylum hotels. We are seeing councils calling for the closure of these hotels. The hard right have successfully managed to conflate asylum seekers with rapists and child molesters. Whilst the British re tolerant and would never riot against refugees fleeing tyranny, no one wants a hotel full of rapists and nonces on their doorstep. I doubt that any of the protestors really think all of the residents of these hotels are sex offenders, but no one can blame people for feeling uneasy about the fact that some may be. I happen to think that the hard right and the protestors have not thought this through properly. If the hotels close, no one will be deported any quicker. They will simply be given council housing and dispersed and will be even harder to track. But Nigel Farage and Reform don't care about this obvious problem with their protests. In fact it plays well to their agenda. They are happy to shaft British working class people in need of social housing, if it plays well to their political agenda. Whereas we are not sure what Corbyn's answers were to the questions posed - Is he pro or anti rejoin? Who does he support in the Ukraine war? Does he support Hamas, or is he simply someone who wants to see Palestinians have a nation? Would he renationalise water, rail, BT, gas & electricity? Does he support mass immigration, or as a Union man would he restrict it to maintain members pay & conditions? Does he think women can have a willy? - I think we all know exactly where Farage stands on most of these (possibly with the exception of Ukraine and Nationalisation). 

I am going to say something that may be shocking about Nigel Farage. I do not think he would become a dictator if he ever got into No 10. I think he'd be a disaster, because he is, like Corbyn, a perennial oppositionist. A man who exists to say the horrible things that the likes of Starmer are too scared to elucidate. I believe a Reform government would be complete chaos, spooked markets, eternal legal challenges, cabinet reshuffles, MP's resigning over scandals, etc. Unless they can attract a few decent Tories, they will have no real experience of government or dealing with the Civil Service.

But, and here is the big problem. Reforms biggest problem is that it is a one man band. Farage is a good communicator and a larger than life figure. His party has no one else anywhere near his stature. It has all manner of characters who are completely unknown to us. I don't think anyone would disagree that they do not attract people from the Centre of British Politics. It is people from the right of the Tories who largely make up the numbers of members and activists. Of course in the Red Wall seats, many of the voters are disaffected leftists, who feel shafted by the establishment. If Corbyn gets his act together, he may shaft Reform by giving these voters a home back on the left, but it is far too easy to say. 

But my big fear is that Reform will be the largest of many parties, Farage will cobble together a government that falls apart, he will resign and then what? The next election will be in 2028-29. My big fear is not what happens then, but what happens in the election after that one. I can see a scenaruo where a Reform government is formed, implodes and what follows it the last British democratic election and a dictatorship. I have no idea what shape that will take. I dount we've even heard of the players who may emerge. But with the fragmentation of the right and left, we might see a situation where the only way to form a government is with a coalition of half a dozen parties, where nothing can be done. The one thing we know about Farage and his party  is that he loves a referendum. It may well be that the next one is to abolish democracy in the UK. 

The Saturday List #492 - All of the instruments I've played (badly) on recordings apart from guitars

 Any regular reader will know that I play guitar and sing in a band called The False Dots. It may (or may not) come as a surprise to know that I've played plenty of other instruments, mostly rather badly, over the years. I thought it might be a good list to put together a list of some of the other instruments, which I've mangled on our recordings over the years. 

1. Mononphonic synthisiser on Fog (Our 2nd demo in 1980). My mate Joe Malone had bought a synth. I asked if I could borrow it, as we were recording a demo. Joe kindly lent it to me. We recorded the song at Alan Warner's Lane Studios. As it was an 8 track studio, I took the executive decision to remove Craigs guitar and replace it with the synth. Craig was very unhappy with this, but it actually worked really well and Craig admitted it was the right decision. It nearly got us a deal with Chiswick Records, but as we only had Fog with synth on, they asked us to go back and record some more songs. We couldn't as I didn't have one and they were expensive. Sadly I don't have an online copy to play you! It was actually the first time I'd played a keyboard. I think I did \ok.

2. Prophet V electric keyboard. Fast forward to 1982 and the False Dots recorded Memory for You at a studio in Sydenham, South London. It was our first release. The studio had a Prophet V keyboard on. We had spare time, so I added the keyboards. Craig was again cynical, but we kept his guitar so he warmed to it. Given that I couldn't play the instrument and did it on the spot, I think I did OK.

3. Conga's. Back in 2008, when Paul Hircombe and Tony Cavaye were in the band, we recorded a five minute long instrumental called Pauls Song, as Paul wrote it. I didn't think the intro worked, so I put a Conga on it. I quite like it. Tony gets cross because in the video we used footage of another drummer miming his track.

4. Tambourine. I also played Tambourine on the track. 

5. Bass guitar. During lockdown, I made this song as a response to the BLM protests. I rather like it. Charlie Honderick sung it, it has programmed drums and I played Bass and Lead. 

6. Whistling. One way you can make your own body into a musical instrument! I did some whistling on the track Dublins Finest Castle.

The False Dots have a new album coming out later in the year. We are in the final stages of recording and mixing it. Who knows, there may be more to add to the list. Have a great weekend, 

Friday Fun and local music gig round up 25th July 2025

As ever we start with the Friday Joke

I think many readers will sympathise with this little cracker from our Twitter friend Robert Wilkinson (his Dad jokes books make great stocking fillers)

If my memory was any worse, I could plan my own surprise party.

— Robert Wilkinson (@robertwlk) July 18, 2025

And on the subject of stocking fillers

If my memory was any worse, I could plan my own surprise party.

— Robert Wilkinson (@robertwlk) July 18, 2025

And on to this weeks music round up! (follow Barnet Music for all the details)

Friday 25th
Butchers Arms 9.30pm - midnight Tracer (Indie Rock/Alt/Dance) 4 piece
Barrington 8.30 - midnight Karaoke with Johno

Saturday 26th
Butchers Arms 9pm – 11.30pm Horizon (Rock Covers and original)
The Lord Kitchener 8.30pm - late Karaoke with Johno
East Barnet RB Legion 8.30pm – 11.30pm Red Herring (Rhythm and blues)
The Arkley Club 8.30pm – 11pm£5 cash on door Karaoke and Disco
The Three Wishes, Edgware Scratch (Rock Covers, 4 piece)

Sunday 27th
East Barnet RB Legion 2 – 5pm Dave Collison's Roy Orbison Tribute & Human Jukebox
Ye Olde Monken Holt 7pm – 9pm Smokin Whiskers (Acoustic covers)
Butchers 8.30 – 11.30pm Butchers Arms Jam Electric/Blues/Rock (Full backline available) 
Toolans 8.30pm Finbarr Black
The Bohemia 7.30pm – 10pm £10 online or at bar Bespoke Pedal Club (Jazz Funk Country Blues)

Monday 28th
The Three Wishes, Edgware - Jan's North London Jam 
Ye Olde Mitre Inn, High Street 8pm – 11pm (stables room) Barnet Acoustics Session

Wednesday 30th
Toolans 5-8pm Billy Heneghan
Ye Olde Monken Holt 8.30 – 11pm Open Mic Night
 
Thursday 31st
Ye Olde Monken Holt 8.30 – 10.30pm Irish Session
Maddens 9pm Ronnie Gordon Legacy Band

August
Friday 1st August
Lord Kitchener 8pm - late - Ela (Solo Artist)
Butchers Arms 9.30pm – midnight - Lord Algae (Rock covers) 3 piece
Barrington 8.30pm – midnight Karaoke with Neil
The Haven 8pm – 11pm Dennis Cook – (Musician, vocalist and DJ)

Saturday 2nd
Butchers Arms 8.30pm – midnight Groove Rats (Rock/blues) 4 piece
East Barnet RB Legion 9pm – 11.30pm Leech (Rock and pop covers)
Ye Olde Mitre Inn, 8.30 Mary's Exit (Rock & Pop Covers)
Maddens 9pm - 99 Bucks (Blues)
Sunday 3rd
Ye Olde Monken Holt 7pm – 9pm  The Sequels (60s/70s covers)
Butchers Arms Jam Electric/Blues/Rock (Full backline available)

Monday 4th
Ye Olde Mitre Inn, High Street 8pm – 11pm (stables room)- Barnet Acoustics Session

Wednesday 6th
Ye Olde Monken Holt 8.30 – 11pm Open Mic Night

Thursday 7th
Ye Olde Monken Holt 8.30 – 10.30pm Irish Session

Friday 8th
Butchers 9pm – midnight Just Kiddin (Covers 50s - present)
East Barnet RB Legion 8pm –late Karaoke with Caz
Barrington 8.30pm – midnight Karaoke with Neil

Saturday 9th Aug - 

East Barnet RB Legion 8pm – late AWOL (Rock covers)

Lord Kitchener 8.30pm – late - Karaoke with Johno
Barrington 9-11.30 - Groove Rats (Rock Blues)
Ye Olde Monken Holt 9.30 – 11.30pm - Cormacintosh (Acoustic/Electric Rock & Pop)
Maddens 9.30pm -midnight Milly Soo Band (Covers)

And I'll leave you with my best songs of the 2020's playlist. Just in case anyone tells you there is no great new music coming out

Rock and Roll Stories #40 - Songwriting through the decades

 Perhaps the aspect of Rock and Roll that is least talked about is the process of songwriting. It is the most important aspect of music. Without songs, Rock and Roll would be a fashion parade. I've been writing songs almost since I was able to speak. When I started, it was very much simply changing the words to the songs of other artists, usually to annoy my sisters, or to amuse my mates at school. My best mate at the time was one Pete Conway. In 1974, when we were twelve, we both rather liked Sparks. Their single 'This town aint big enough for the both of us' was a classic and we loved it. It had gun effects and was very different from everything else in the charts. I don't normally like such songs, but it is an epic song. They then released a follow up, Amatuer Hour. Shall we say, it didn't catch our imagination in the same way. Pete and I discussed the matter and decided that we needed to save Sparks. We wrote a couple of 'decent songs' and sent them to the label, with a letter explaining that they'd gone downhill and needed some proper songs. I wish Pete hadn't thrown the letter we got back in the bin! Lets just say they didn't feel the need to avail themselves of our services. 

Four years later, we started to write songs for our own band. The False Dots. We were punks and the songs were highly political. They weren't exactly catchy. Recently, we revived the very first of these. It's called Wrong. It lasts 47 seconds and we brought it back for our 46th Birthday show!

Within a year, we scrapped all of these songs and started again. With a little help from Hank Marvin, we wrote our first classic, Not all she seems, that we re-recorded for last years album.

   

 We made a conscious decision to try and make every aspect of the song interesting. It has a catchy riff, a story, and is a powerful song. It has always been a favourite. At the time, Pete and I would sit in my bedroom with ideas and our instruments and go through it line by line. We really made an effort to ensure that every song had great lyrics, an interesting arrangement and something quirky. The only real issue was that we hadn't really bothered to study song structure or arrangement. I think Not All She Seems and the other songs do stand up, but when we perform them, we have different arrangements now. 

When Pete left the band in December 1980, I lost my co-collaborator. We were fiercly critical of each others output. We took great pleasure in destroying each others work, but we were also good at pulling the best bit out of the bones. In hindsight, although we were officially mates, I don't think we really liked each other, but knew that we had a strong musical bond. Pete's departure meant that I spent four years writing songs that weren't very good. Sometimes they worked, almost by accident. From that era, the only song we still do is Action Shock. I wrote it and discarded it. I didn't like it, but when Venessa Sagoe joined the band, she found the lyrics in the lyric box and liked them. I'd not even written a proper tune. Venessa made it into a classic. I was struggling with writing but was to arrogant and stubborn to admit it. When that iteration of the band split up in September 1984, I decided to do a songwriters course. This was the best thing I ever did. I realised why the post Pete material was rubbish. 

In 1985, Poet Allen Ashley joined the band. Allen was brilliant at making words work. He will probably disagree, but he wasn't really much good at the musical side of the songs. We soon had a rather good selection of numbers, which to me were sort of in the style of The Smiths. The stand out number was Winter in Your Heart.

   

 Allen tells me that he got fed up with me nagging him to write a middle eight. When he finally did, he realised I was right! Allen departed in early 1986 and the band entered a bit of hiatus. I wrote a few songs that I think are pretty good, but we rarely performed. One of the songs nearly made an appearance on an album by one of the UK's most loved artists, but I rather stupidly refused to allow him a co-write, so it didn't happen. Here is a rather poor version of it with me singing as we emerged from lock down. This was our first rehearsal after lockdown. Graham (our drummer had recently lost his son, which made us emerge from the ashes of covid to do this). 

 In 1990, the False Dots were put on ice until 2002. Having stopped writing songs for twelve years, I had lost my songwriting mojo. I think I'd sort of forgotten the lessons I learned on the course. We had a few OK tunes, but listening to them now, I realise that I was making the same old mistake of not properly writing them, and not making sure they worked. The arrangements were lazy. A couple of the songs emerged that were pretty strong, with my favourite being I'm the man.

   

 It is a simple song, but I happen to think it is a great Rock and Roll song. It was inspired by watching Gene Hunt in 'Life on Mars'. I liked the theme of a man doing things that are killing him, simply to stay alive and survive. Of that era, it is by far my favourite song. It is one of the few songs, that I didn't try and over-complicate in that period.

When Connie Abbe joined the band in 2009, I realised I had to up my game. I co-wrote and arranged Put me in the Spotlight with Connie, which I think is perhaps the best song I've ever written.

   

 It really has it all. I wrote the lyrics for the chorus and Connie wrote the verses. We wrote it all in the studio. I wrote the dynamic intro so that it was suitable for use in TV, especially sport. This worked and the song was used by Manchester City FC, being the soundtrack for their website goal of the month show in 2012. 

When Connie left the band, Allen Ashley rejoined. Allen reminded me of the need to properly craft lyrics. We wrote some banging songs. Perhaps the best of these was Saturday, a football song, Lee Thompson of Madness played sax on.

   

 I wrote the first two verses and the chorus, Allen wrote the middle eight and the third verse and edited a few lines elsewhere. We have rewritten it a couple of times since Allen left, but Allen will always retain a credit. 

In 2020, Allen left, and I was back in the hot seat. The band started to develop what has become our current set. I changed my songwriting style significantly and deliberately. I returned to the style of the Pete Conway era, where every song was a story, rather than the 'stream of consciousness' style of writing I'd adopted. I also introduced a healthy dollop of dark humour. The advent of mobile phones has been a blessing. If I get an idea, I will record it on the phone and then arrange it later. This could be lyrics or a whistled melody. I have had strange looks whistling into my phone on the tube. I realised that a big strength was my ability to write songs people connect with and that puts a smile on their face. Perhaps the best example (so far) is 'We All Love a Party".

   

This song tells the story of a party my parents had in 1974, to raise funds for the local Catholic Church. What is interesting is that everyone can connect with the characters and stories in it. I actually wrote the song verses whilst walking the dogs on Lundhurst Park. The chrous was really a nod to the TV series Shameless. Having got the basic lyrical structure, I changed it. The chorus line "Do the conga, drop your draws" was a late addition, as was the end of the chorus "But Aunty Dot is here, so you better hide the gin". That was a little homage to my mum and her sisters. Her eldest sister loved the G&T's and mum would always get bladdered when they went out (or stayed in). Mum's yougest sister didn't have my mums tolerance for alcohol, and would always end up in the loo, when the "girls got together". My Dad would always joke "Margo is coming, hide the Gin". Mum never found it funny. I loved my Mum, but in truth she never really found anything very funny, which was offset by my Dad, who found everything hilarious!

In 2023, Tom Hammond joined the band on Trumpet. This brought new opportunities and challenges. I'd never really composed trumpet lines before, Tom reads music, but I don't write it, I play by ear. So I did what I've learned to do. I spent a month listening to the best songs with cool brass and trumpet arrangements. The fruits of this show in our new single, Groovetown. 

It is important to realise that music is always a work in progress. Things can always be improved and your next song may be your best (or your worst). What I've learned is that the best songs you can wrote are ones that you love. If writing a trumpet part, a vocal line, a clever lyric, etc gives you a buzz, you have succeeded. I don't write songs to become rich or line my pocket. I write songs to make people happy and put a smile on their face. Sometimes, I try and make a point about something I care about in a song. No one wants to be preached at by musicians, but I think if you listen to the False Dots music, especially the recent material, you'll have a pretty good idea of where we stand on most issues. If you just want to enjoy the tunes, that is great. 

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