I was going through a stack of my 7" when I came across this little gem, at first I thought "oh crap its just a cover, how did I lose a sperm wails single!" then I remembered it was a flexi....the blighter hugged the turntable pretty well but I stacked some coins on it anyway just for old times sake. I love this song, something of a personal anthem for me and many others of my generation too I guess.......
So, Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to pause a moment, and spend a quite period of contemplation : considering the enduring legacy , the majesty, the divine genius that was the Sperm Wails... This is one is off a later 12".... Boy Hairdresser - The Sperm Wails
So if this blog was a count down of the punk greats we would pretty much be at the end now. I could never (and still cant) get into the macho "boys own" hardcore of your Black Flags and ilk, Ive always preferred the expression of internal rage to that against the world. And no one has ever done that better for me than these boys..
People often talk about records that changed your life: I once bought one for 80 pence from notting hill record exchange : Metal Circus. It didnt have a cover so my brother made me one ...a pencil version of one of my photos in a homage to the original and Zen Arcade sleeves.
Fast forward to 1985, I picked up tickets from some video production company who wanted a crowd for a show they had to film at the Camden Palace, my brother got a train down from Essex , we were running late - as we walked in "New Day rising" was already melting the mirror balls and bouncing off the walls like a trapped tornado.
Theres a nice shot of said brother and his mohawk at 38 secs in to "Powerline", and my leather jacket and big hair can be seen bopping away all through the gig (if you know what your looking for!!!) :
It was one of those nights when the world is turning round you, and theres not a trace of a doubt that you wouldnt live forever..... Ok, so it probably wasnt and christ knows you dont, but it still leaves me with one of my fondest memories : my brother and me walking back from chalk farm in the rain, jumping in the puddles to splash each other and laughing our heads off. I only caught up with the video a couple of years back and its as good as it gets: tracks with the bands early fury ,their mid period confused introspection , and a taste of the pop that would come in the future .
Its not on the video track listing but this clip , a performance of the byrds "8 miles high" rules ...nothing I can say about this.. except it is perfection, and that the single was the first song I played on the day I found out my brother had been killed.
