In the time since I last updated the site, I’ve had 1) loads of visitors come here through Googling Lewis Collins and 2) a very friendly request to do an interview re: the band, from Peru. Or rather from someone from Peru who’s connected with a record label based in Florida. Have a look at the artwork on their records – it’s ace.
While we’re here, here’s the link to Peru’s No 1 indie label (possibly), which has the brilliant strap line, ‘We like indiepop in Peru too.’
In case you were wondering.
There is actually a fan site for the Professionals – the 1970s cop drama – that rounds up every reference to the show on the web in a neat little list, including my own suggestion that our video director Mike H was a dead ringer for Collins.
I expect people from those sites will write and tell me it wasn’t a cop drama.
I was always an Eddie Shoestring man myself, of course. A private detective with his own radio show. Is that the dream job – or what?
Anyway, my new Peruvian pal is even talking about re-releasing the Collision singles on a CD. That’s good, isn’t it? More on this and my ace interview as and when.
Meantime, check this out. John Bramwell of I Am Kloot made a record about 1989-1990, “You Me and the Alarm Clock”, under the name Johnny Dangerously. Just him and an acoustic guitar and a massive reverb effect that made it sound like he was singing sad songs under the pier on a drizzly day ie absolutely fantastic. Brilliant wordplay in the lyrics – “you nearly got applause when I first clapped eyes on you”; “She said all those qualifications never met me at the station”; “Are you really happy or just easy to please?” – and a none-more-wistful vibe about the whole thing.
Anyway, you can’t get the Dangerously record now and I haven’t heard it for years and years. I’d say it was a a real lost classic – ie one that doesn’t ever appear in all the lazy music press list features of lost classics. Then I Googled around a found a download – and, so many years on, it really is as great as I remember. Listen to this song – the title track - and tell me if I’m wrong.
BTW: current position on Japanese Amazon of our album: 781,277.
Still in the top million. Still on the radar.
The very very big radar.
7 responses so far ↓
Kaleida Jim // November 28, 2008 at 10:10 am |
If we’re 781,277 in the Amazon charts, I demand you get some royalties. We must be owed at least 1c each! And why isn’t Simon Cowell banging on our door demanding we release a version of Unchained Melody? Surely he can see the potential? How many of his acts are big in Peru?
Toni // December 19, 2008 at 2:43 pm |
I have just been transported back to my 14 yr old bedroom!
I loved this track, and also ‘Tearing it down’.
Trawled the internet for years for it, still sounds as good as it ever did
Thanks
Phil Mills // February 28, 2009 at 4:40 pm |
Brilliant that of JD, been looking all over the net for it, can you not upload the whole album?
I have got an old compilation cassette from about 89 wuth JD on it singing ‘ Subway life ‘ a song of pure beauty, the lad is a genius and again, thanks for uploading.
Phil.
Nicola // April 24, 2009 at 9:47 am |
I’ve got it as a scratchy recording on tape somewhere, too, as well as JD singing Please Please Please by The Smiths on KFM. Brilliant. I think You, Me and the Alarm Clock is still my favourite album ever. And there were some other JD songs too, I think. Blue and Bone China, anyone remember that one? No chance the whole album will be uploaded onto Spotify I suppose…
“get on your bicycles and go earn your keep, there’ll be nine million cyclists here by this time next week.”
duncan94 // April 24, 2009 at 10:39 am |
I still think “all those qualifications never met me at the station” is his brilliantest line but there are loads. Aren’t there? There seems to be quite a following for this album, I wonder why JD/JB has never had it re-released? Maybe someone should do a deal with him? Maybe I should?!
Fiona Stidworthy // June 29, 2009 at 7:37 pm |
I loved Johnny Dangerously, Black and Blue was the song I sang at the folk club at uni (I turned 18 in 1990) – is there anywhere I can get hold of any of his music? Been searching for years!
Fiona Stidworthy // June 29, 2009 at 7:39 pm |
“calling closing time on that cinema queue fervour” best line in my humble opinion – what song’s it from?