"From the tracks that hissed from engine fast approaching to the engines clipped clopped rumbling heavily by and I want you ..." sings John Head on Kilburn High Road, one of the loveliest of Shack's songs which is saying something. I particularly like this one because with a title like that it's important to avoid the obvious cliches, and the railway imagery is a delight whether it's the old North London lines or even the West Coast Main Line which would take them home. One of the more pleasant aspects of Shack's painful progress has been John's development as a songwriter in I suppose a Dennis Wilson/Dave Davies way. I doubt there is anyone more delighted by that than brother Michael who if I remember rightly was fiercely protective of little brother in the early Pale Fountains days simply referring to the new guitarist as John and not letting on to the world at large that they were related. But he knew all along, way before we did, if Byrds Turn To Stone is anything to go by: "Learnin' to play the guitar. One for you and one for me. Who'd be the first one to learn all the tricks by Mr Lee ..." The Brothers Head are truly jewels in the crown of England's Glory as an old Kilburn and the High Roads song might 'ave it. Speaking of which, remember this?Saturday, 23 January 2010
Kilburn High Road
"From the tracks that hissed from engine fast approaching to the engines clipped clopped rumbling heavily by and I want you ..." sings John Head on Kilburn High Road, one of the loveliest of Shack's songs which is saying something. I particularly like this one because with a title like that it's important to avoid the obvious cliches, and the railway imagery is a delight whether it's the old North London lines or even the West Coast Main Line which would take them home. One of the more pleasant aspects of Shack's painful progress has been John's development as a songwriter in I suppose a Dennis Wilson/Dave Davies way. I doubt there is anyone more delighted by that than brother Michael who if I remember rightly was fiercely protective of little brother in the early Pale Fountains days simply referring to the new guitarist as John and not letting on to the world at large that they were related. But he knew all along, way before we did, if Byrds Turn To Stone is anything to go by: "Learnin' to play the guitar. One for you and one for me. Who'd be the first one to learn all the tricks by Mr Lee ..." The Brothers Head are truly jewels in the crown of England's Glory as an old Kilburn and the High Roads song might 'ave it. Speaking of which, remember this?
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Just come across this site via Transpontine, and very nice too.
ReplyDeleteI do remember the Max Wall, and it's still cracking. His dad was around the Waterloo Road music hall scene: I remember reading that he once beat Sam Mayo at billiards. He was pretty excited about it 'cos Mayo played semi-professionally to supplement his songwriting income. (Check out Billy Bennett's Green Tie on the Little Yellow Dog for other Waterloo music-hall stuff).
But Jack the Ripper and Upton Park notwithstanding, this is north London - got the Dinner Ladies lined up?
Paul
Tell me more, Paul. I don't think I know the Dinner Ladies. Well, my mum was a dinner lady but I'm sure that's not what you meant.
ReplyDeleteIt was Mick Jackson (before he became a novelist), Lorraine Bowen (before she did arrangements for Billy Bragg), Julia Palmer and Ben Davies.
ReplyDeleteThey did an album called 'These Knees Have Seen the World' in 1988, and the song to check out is 'Gateway to the North' (set in Archway):
'Reverent in Tory-blue A plaque on the wall helps revenue It's history for the sycophant "Here's where Dickens pissed his pants" ...'
Paul
Thanks. Sounds right up my street. Will have a hunt around.
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