Sunday Secrets - Five Guilty Pleasures

As it's Sunday, we usually post something a little different on the blog. Today it's five guilty pleasures. As a punk rock and roller, people always assume all I listen to is punk and  metal at 250 db. I do have a few guilty pleasures. Songs which the wearing of the T-Shirt at work may raise a couple of eybrows ;^)

What makes a guilty pleasure? It's a song which you really like, but you'd not be seen dead admitting to liking in front of your mates at the pub.

#1 - Duran Duran - Girls on Film


A bit of a story behind this. In 1981, when I left school, I went to live in Stockholm. My girlfriend was into Duran Duran. They were doing a tour and playing in Stockholm. They were known, but were not a big band. We went to see them at the Underground. I wasn't a fan. I was into punk. I got talking to one of the roadies at the bar and we were invited backstage. The band had been travelling around Europe and were a bit bored, having not talked about football or beer to anyone for a month or two. I got chatting to Simon LeBon. It turned out he'd lived in Hendon. We had a good laugh, he is a really nice bloke and we got guest listed for the show the next night at the Roxy. The band were brilliant and I've been a fan ever since. Somewhere I've got a signed tour program. The girls who came with me were well impressed !

#2 - Erasure  - Sometimes


I remember seeing this on Top of the Pops. I was immediately struck by what a great song it is. I suggested that we did a rocked up version of it to the band and endured an evening of severe pisstaking. One day I will do it though.


#3 - Soft Cell - Torch


I'm a big fan of Soft Cell, they do great songs and are unique. I think this song is the best of the bunch.


#4 - The Jackson Five - Rockin Robin


I was nine when this came out. I thought it was great that a kid was singing in a proper band. It wasn't a crass novelty act, it was a proper band. The Jackson Five were a band I felt a great affection for and still do. Seeing Michael Jackson before the plastic surgeons ripped him apart is and it all went wrong is tinged with sadness, but I never ever hear this song without smiling.

#5 - Nancy Sinatra - These boots were made for walking



Seriously, how could anyone not love this?

Have a great weekend

The video that made MTV

This week we've had lots of people paying tribute to Michael Jackson. One of the credits he's received is that he's the man who made MTV with the Thriller video. It was a groundbreaking video, sure enough, but the video which really made MTV is this one.



This is from 1981 and it is Duran Duran performing Girls on Film. This was several years before Thriller and when it first appeared people stopped and stared. They'd never seen anything quite like it. Sure by todays standards it's tame, but in 1981 it was revolutionary. It was the first video to really move away from the "four blokes playing" scenario. Subsequent videos had even higher production standards and really stood out. Locations such as Sri Lanka were used, which was unheard of before.

I met Duran Duran in December 1981 in Stockholm. My then girlfriend, dragged me to a gig at the Underground club at T-Centralen. It was a great gig & I got chatting to a roadie about music. One thing lead to another and next thing we were backstage partying with the band. Simon Le Bon was a great guy. He used to live in Hendon for a while & we discussed local pubs & other stuff. Being in a band, we had a great chit chat. They put us all on the guest list for the next show at the Ritz. We had a hoot that night as well. They signed a stack of memorabilia for the girls & I took their number, agreeing to catch up back in London. I never got round to it. ISimon even nicked one of my jokes for a TV interview on Scandanavian TV. I've still got a signed tour program somewhere.

I'll say this though. They were a great band. They were truly innovative with their videos. If you look at any modern video, there are far more elements of Girls on Film, than any of Michael Jacksons work, and it was done for a fraction of the budget. A superb band, a great video and a fantastic bunch of blokes. This isn't a pop at Michael Jackson. I just like to see credit go where it is really due.