Saturday September 16th 2000

October 2nd sees the release of at least three Decent British Pop Albums. Oh yes! Aside from the Fosca debut long-player (from which John Peel has already played “The Millionaire Of Your Own Hair”) , there’s the latest offering from Spearmint, “Oklahoma”. A few of the songs on “Oklahoma” were previewed on the tours I played with the group in my role as Other Guitar, not least an electrifying ditty called “The Locomotion” (no, not the Kylie-covered one), plus “Oklahoma” itself (no, not the Rogers & Hammerstein one) . I’m agog to find out if the recorded version of the title track will use the sample from a late 70s disco hit whose name escapes me, as said hit seems to keep cropping up on TV shows such as “I Love the 70s”. I now always associate it with my time in Spearmint.

The other recommended release, out the same day, is “The Handy Wah Whole” – 2 CDs of the best of Pete Wylie, covering all his singles from the early 80s till the present. A testament to one of the most criminally unsuccessful pop stars ever. My unplayably scratchy 7″ copy of “The Story Of The Blues” can finally be replaced. Thank you, Mr Record Company, whoever you are.

The current Top 40 in this futuristic year 2000 has to date featured versions of A-Ha’s “Take On Me”, Cyndi Laupers’ “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, one song sampling Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “Relax” , another sampling the same band’s “Two Tribes”, one remixing Gary Numan’s “Cars”, one new dance version of Madonna’s “Dear Jessie”, one dance version of Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World”, a girl group created by OMD (Atomic Kitten)… There have been times where I’ve been criticised by lazy, myopic fools for being “too 80s”. Clearly I’m not nearly 80s enough, or I’d be at Number One by now. If only for one week, like nearly every other Number One this year. Make room! Make room!

Still, the new Teenage Fanclub single reminds me that the 60s will never end. And why should they? If your band uses guitars, you’re drawing on something from the 60s or 70s. If your band uses synths and sequencers, you’re drawing on something from the 80s or 90s. It’s that simple. The only original factor that you CAN bring to your songs is your own splendid, unique persona. Which is why I’m constantly surprised so many current bands insist on being quite so very persona non grata…