I'm going to be petty for a moment and talk about an inconvenient aspect of death. It can really mess with the plans of the living. Here I was, planning on featuring a Leslie Winer record (NB that I did anyway) and in comes the news that Mark E Smith has died. What on earth am I supposed to do with this? I did what I could, and what I always do--I played a Fall song on the radio.
Should I have gone with two hours' worth? Maybe, though frequent listeners will already be overly familiar with my Fall habit. I certainly didn't become acquainted with the band through large doses. Funnily enough, my first relevant memory is of hearing a tune in the car, age 16 or 17, not knowing who it was, having it stick in my head firmly enough to drive me crazy with curiosity, and finding out years later that it was "Barmy." There was also Friend of Bombast Jeremy, who had a copy of Palace of Swords Reversed that he would try to get me to listen to but I couldn't seem to be bothered, most of the time. Still, things stuck with me--bits of "Leave the Capitol," "Fit and Working Again" and "Kicker Conspiracy," and all of "Marquis Cha-Cha." At some point I bought this compilation and was bowled over by the rendition of "Wings." (Ah, this one, here! So good!) I wouldn't call this succumbing instantaneous or gradual; it was very random and staccato. Things just lingered, waiting to be latched onto. Seems fitting.
It's been weird, the last 20 years, watching the man's personal decline--hearing about the belligerence, the drinking, the verbal and physical violence. I have to say that I haven't made sense of it--I'm unable to bracket off the "product" from the personal, but I also can't stop listening. I can't quit him though I know I probably should. It is probably like this for other people.
If this seems like an abrupt ending, that's how life works.
BOMBAST playlist, 2018 January 24, 2100-2300:
a train to Crewe
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Close Your Eyes And Make Believe You Can Do Whatever You Please: Transmission 150, 2014 September 9
U_D_M Detour 8, 2014 July 18
U_D_M Detour 7, 2014 June 20
U_D_M Detour 6, 2014 May 9
Seems Probably Unhealthy, But Anyway: Transmission 149, 2014 September 2
U_D_M Detour 5, 2014 January 10
The Hall of Legends - John Peel: Transmission 148, 2014 August 30
I Have Done Bad Things On The Radio: Transmission 147, 2014 August 26
The Hall of Legends - Breathless: Transmission 146, 2014 August 19
Did I Use "Nice" Twice? Transmission 145, 2014 August 18
Some People Are Just Into Appearances: Transmission 144, 2014 August 12
The Mercy Of Your Lies: Transmission 143, 2014 August 5
She Rules My Diary, And I Download It: Transmission 142, 2014 July 29
Is There A Bluebird In Your Heart: Transmission 141, 2014 July 25
Most Of Us Workers Are Those Who Sit Alone: Transmission 140, 2014 July 23
Cruising Altitude Transmission 6, 2014 June 13
Drums After Drums Lined Up On The Shelf: Transmission 139, 2014 July 22
Synchronize Love To The Beat Of The Show: Transmission 138, 2014 July 15
Never Expect Power Always: Transmission 137, 2014 July 8
Open Attachments: Transmission 136, 2014 July 6
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