Chatham Pocket

This came out as a freebie some time ago but I've only just got around to listening to it- a taster for a new record by Billy Childish's latest other band The Vermin Poets. Chatham Pocket is a rocking guitar led instrumental and will go very nicely on your latest compilation cd or mixtape or playlist. A Chatham Pocket is, apparently, slang for the internal cavity where drugs can be hidden. Nice.

Chatham Pocket

Back

Hello. Back from a caravan near the Lincolnshire Wolds and coast. A much underrated part of the country. Lovely.

Whatever part of my brain that has focussed on blogging for the last year and a half has switched itself off while being away, so a random track from the hard drive- Dole Drums (The Wolf Howard Theme), as played by Wild Billy Childish and The Musicians of the British Empire, a rocking instrumental- 60s inspired, organ led, surfy, Ready, Steady, Go!, basement bar with Scotch and Coke. Wolf is the drummer in Billy's bands and also takes pinhole photographs. I love the way they mix up 60s garage and Victoriana.

Dole Drums (The Wolf Howard Theme).mp3#1#1

Happy Christmas

This is perhaps Billy Childish's finest moment, especially for you on Christmas day.

'Merry fucking Christmas to you all.'

Bagging Area wishes you all a merry Christmas, have a good time, and I'll be back in a few days.

Christmas 1979.mp3

Remembrance

Today is Remembrance Day. I think it's important. If you've ever been to Tyne Cot, Passchendale, Ypres or the Somme you can't help but be moved by the horror and unnecessary carnage of the First World War, and the selflessness of the millions of ordinary men who did their bit. At Victoria Station in Manchester there's a door which doesn't go anywhere now, but used to lead to a southbound platform. Above the door is a plaque which reads 'Dedicated to the thousands of men who passed through this door 1914-1918 and who did not return', which never fails to catch my eye,and tug a little. Remembrance Day and the selling of poppies started in 1919, as a way to mark the lives of the fallen, help the families left behind and to work for peace, to ensure such a conflict wouldn't happen again. Not that that last bit worked. I'm not comfortable with the way recently poppies and Remembrance Day seem to be an attempt to justify current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This is the traditional 19th century song The Bold Fusilier, a recruitment song, sung by Billy Childish acapella at a radio session a few years ago.

The_Bold_Fusilier_traditional.mp3

Childish Stuff

It's been a while since we had anything from Mr Billy Childish round Bagging Area's way. This is Pokerhuntus Was Her Name by Billy's 90s incarnation Thee Headcoats. If you're a fan of Billy Childish's abrasive, 60s garage rock style stuff you'll like this. Or own it already. If not use it as a starting for exploring the career of a man who has made 100s of records in a thirty year career. I think a deerstalker may be this season's headgear of choice. A Bagging Area style tip for you.

08 Pokerhuntus Was Her Name (Album).mp3

Thee Headcoatees 'Have Love Will Travel'

Moggieboy from the excellent Ripped In Glasgow blog posted Thee Headcoatees' Davey Crockett yesterday, so I'm following suit (probably a natty tweed suit) with this one, Have Love Will Travel. Thee Headcoatees were a Billy Childish Thee Headcoats spin-off, and featured recent Bagging Area postee Holly Golightly. This is an indie-garage-60s-beat-pop-girlgroup dancefloor smash. Also just noticed this is my 300th post.

Edit- a reader has left a comment to point out the black and white picture is not Thee Headcoatees, but Ipso Facto. To be honest I had my doubts about the picture but was rushing. Thanks anonymous. The colour picture is Thee Headcoatees. I can't seem to remove the other one, so we're stuck with both.

Have Love Will Travel.mp3

Wild Billy Childish and The Blackhands 'Who Do You Think You Are Kidding Mr Hitler?'

So, with my tongue firmly in my cheek and Mr. Wild Billy Childish doing whatever he fancies doing, in celebration of today's game here is the Dad's Army theme done garage rock style by the bard of Chatham.

'We are the boys who will stop your little game
We are the boys who will make you think again'.

Time to deliver Wayne.

Who Do You Think You Are Kidding Mr Hitler (Asda Advert - Dad's Army Theme).mp3