There’s a J G Ballard/Crash link to Warm Leatherette, which kind of counts.
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… or the other way round
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Our songs about roads are full of righteous anger and excitement much like a trip down the a13 on a Friday night, not as serene as gliding down the autobahn having fun
Lived just off the A13 in Leigh-on-Sea for years so it’s strange hearing this. I knew the Bragg song but not this. I like the bit about the Rainham roundabout- remember that being tricky to navigate on the way back from Berwick Manor back in the day. I guess JW’s song, like some of Iain Sinclair’s work, is a precursor to the ‘Make (South) Essex Hip’ movement that has occurred over recent years, spearheaded by Tim Burrows who writes for the Guardian and had a book out. But I do appreciate the mystic / mythscape of south Essex and its deep connections with working-class London and its (later) resonances with Thatcherism. A very contradictory place- which this tune captures brilliantly
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I grew up in Eastwood / Rayleigh / Westcliff… yes geezer [touches sovereign rings in fist bump]. Right touch etc…
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Been following her from early on. A lot of the records so far are not very interesting US 70s AOR
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Sweet as a nut mate 
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De La ain’t too happy about it
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCpe0ekz8AC/?img_index=1&igsh=enBwMjJma243aDhi
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I can see their point but it’s just someone writing a book about someone or something, happens all the time. I’ve briefly flicked through it last night and it’s interesting. I guess they’re not happy with all the De La graphics on the cover and inside. It sort of gives off a Daisy Age theme too the way it’s written and produced. But hey ho it’s all publicity for them.
Those 3 albums are absolutely class and live they were occasionally absolutely brilliant. However, they were also occasionally fucking awful live.
I liked the Quietus writer saying he was a ‘lapsed fan’ of the band and that’s exactly how I feel. Very important band for younger me, particularly how often he would say his musical heroes and references out loud a lot, which in suburban England was a god send for discovery of music. Introduced me to people like Suicide, Can and the MC5. But now I just find it really sad to be honest what’s happened to them, and to Bobby. He blew it.
Don’t even get me started on that fucking book.
Yeh it’s a funny one. I feel like they could have just clarified they weren’t involved without being so heavy and mentioning legal action etc. The author seems to be a well respected music journalist and lover of their work. Think you’re right about the cover/graphics being the only issue.
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One of the stranger COVID subplots was the intersection of the libertarian antivax left and right (rendering the terms meaningless). If ‘Silk Road’ founder Ross Ulbricht is pardoned, could there be a full institutional conflict with the DEA? I know there are hippies who view all pharma with extreme suspicion, who could end up as unlikely allies of the most authoritarian regime the US has ever known. It is all baffling, but I can’t imagine even a batshit administration loosening controls on psychedelics
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Just started Life Impossible by Matt Haig. He sells millions and work has been translated into many languages. Novel set in Ibiza, deals with death, the island. Haig worked for Manumission as a promoter (giving out flyers I think etc) back in late 90s and indulged a tad. So far so good, good tale and not complex in its plot. Vedra on cover.
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I cannot imagine he’ll last long if he takes on the food & pharma industries. Especially in a Government led by rampant free-market capitalists.
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