Transcript
Speaker: In the milk bar and feeling lost, um drinking sodas as cold as frost. Someone leans in, in my direction, quizzing on on my jukebox selection.
Speaker: Well, what do you call that noise that you put on? This is pop. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: Wow, what a confusing start to a podcast, you think? Yeah, it could be. and Welcome to another episode of the This Art Johnny Domino podcast, wherein I, and that is Steve, talk with my brother, who is Giles, about music that we have done in the past, music that are doing currently, and music that we will do in the future.
Speaker: Stephen Howard Woodward. Yes, Giles Michael Woodward. Yes. You've got a weird middle name. Yeah, well, you've got a weird first name. I You've looked out.
Speaker: We'll talk about your name later, actually. Why? So, what was the song? Was it This Is Pop by XTC? The English rock band from their 1978 debut studio LP, White Music.
Speaker: It defined their catchy but weird aesthetic, a song that musically defies its title. Or maybe it's trying to redefine what pop music is. What do you think about XTC?
Speaker: I don't like them. You know what I mean? They're just one of those bands that is like, I probably should. You should, because they are quirky, jerky music and very English. And like, is that not what Johnny Domino kind of tried to be a bit?
Speaker: Well, maybe I don't like Johnny. No, just don't know. I just never, never got them. And Mark the Elk, Elkston. Mm-hmm. is a big fan and I'm sure he tried.
Speaker: yeah But no, it just never scratched my itch. Oh, blimey. Yeah. Oh, blimey. Well, maybe you should listen again to the WLP, White Music, which was and originally titled Black Music, referring to black comedy, apparently, but they changed the title at the suggestion of Virgin Records and the band's manager to White Music.
Speaker: I think that's probably a good idea. Do you? I think both are bad, really. and But yeah, it wasn't a massively successful record, but it's a very weird record.
Speaker: It's kind of crazy. It's got like mad different songs on it. Obviously, there's two people writing songs. The Andy Partridge one's way better. But yeah, it's got some really banging tunes on it. It's got a really terrible version of All Along the Watchtower, which is like horrendous. It's like unlistenably bad.
Speaker: But it's interesting. And the reason that i am and he i I was listening to a bit of that music, because I went to see a modern band that have obviously listened to that record, band called Feet.
Speaker: Have you heard of the band Feet? I've heard of the band Feet. there are another of these bands that have got absolutely terrible name? Well, Feet. It looks quite good on the T-shirt.
Speaker: But they're a pretty good band. i In fact, I really, really enjoyed them. I went to see them in Milton Keynes on Saturday. Yes. Milton Keynes. I know. And they have that same sort of herky-jerky, jagged, quirky energy that early XTC's got.
Speaker: and Definitely. Very much hearing at times as well, kind of early Happy Mondays too. And other kind of English stuff like Squeeze and that kind of quirky sort of thing. And they're very high energy band live. Very fun.
Speaker: And they're good. The stuff on their debut album I really like. There's another weird album title. The first album by Feet is called What's Inside Is More Than Just Ham.
Speaker: Yeah. The singer's good. He reminds me a bit of Jim, actually, sillyally of the Johnny Domino band. Jim of the Johnny Domino? Yeah, yeah. he's ah He's got that kind of slightly threatening, weird quality to him, the way he kind of like leans over the crowd.
Speaker: Jim used to have a bit of that, didn't he? I was kind of getting a bit of that. But yeah, they're they're good. So if you get a chance to check out Feet, do it. You mentioned Squeeze then.
Speaker: Yes. Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, the songwriters in Squeeze, have not been friends yes since 1976. Wow.
Speaker: They fell out in 1976 and don't get on. Yeah. But that's years before they got famous. Yeah. Isn't that the weirdest thing?
Speaker: Well, it is weird, but then it's not weird, is it? I mean, it's like they wrote some songs together. They were probably in quite a high-pressure situation tried to make it as a band, and they probably didn't really get on, and they're never going to really make friends again. Maybe some maybe some bad stuff happened. Who knows?
Speaker: I don't think necessarily the pressure stuff. I think there was some bad stuff that happened. Yeah, but some bad stuff happened. Why keep going? i don't know why i keep going. Yeah, well, I keep i think about that quite often when I think about this podcast, Steve.
Speaker: But then I think, yeah, come on, podcast gold. Podcast gold. Yeah. And, you know, we are on volume three of the very best of this old jolly domino. It's true. It's alive. It's alive. Yeah.
Speaker: A jolly good time is to be had if you feel like listening to it. Yeah, the purpose of this podcast when we set it up was for us to build a purely theoretical mixtape of the best of our old band, Johnny Domino.
Speaker: And obviously, we got a little carried away with the concept because we're on the third volume of an actual out-in-the-world best of this, our Johnny Domino, the songs talk about on the podcast. And I think the third volume is quite compact.
Speaker: Yeah, I think it's a way in. think It's a way in. um You know, it's got fast songs, it's got slow songs, it's got happy songs, it's got some miserable songs, some miserable songs.
Speaker: I think it hangs together quite well as a collection, which is kind of surprising since like it was recorded over a period of decades. Yeah. The songs are between 1992 and Yeah, so that's, yeah, it's a fair chunk of time.
Speaker: it's In some ways, you could say it it shows a certain lack of progression. In other ways, it shows some kind of nice cohesion. Yeah. We knew what we were doing and we just stuck with it. Absolutely. It goes on for even longer because there are some songs that we recorded recently yeah on their side. yeah yep yeah La de da. da.
Speaker: Anyway, Stephen. Yes, my friend. ah Or if you're in Spain, you would be called Esteban. Esteban Obando. Our friend Esteban Obando, previously mentioned on this very podcast, is recording an album over the course of a year. He is releasing a song a month, which he is recording on a Tascam 424 Porter Studio. The very same brand of Porter Studio that Johnny Domino used back in what the kids call The Day.
Speaker: e He popped up on my Instagram feed and I liked what I heard. And he seems like a positively charming chap. Probably is. We talked to him on the last episode, episode 59, and we're having the song that he's put out for April.
Speaker: We are. He's doing a song a month. And yeah, this is a good one, I think. Yeah. It's called No Rain in LA, which is interesting because...
Speaker: There are 34 to 35 days of rain per year, with a total average precipitation of 12.23 inches, compared to Nottingham, which has 123 days of rain per year.
Speaker: Maybe Esteban was travelling on those days. Maybe he was just out of town. Maybe. And then he wrote this song, No Rain in l L.A., Melting stars on the pavement
Speaker: Even Batman can't afford to pay his rent Sometimes I feel, I feel too much Hanging out to the sun With storm clouds in my head And no rain in my head
Speaker: There's no rain in the rain Winter thoughts under palm trees Memories
Speaker: Of how everything was always meant to be But now I'm terrified of plans Cause no one ever can Make it anyway
Speaker: Thoughts on the concrete
Speaker: Waiting I'm so tired of waiting for the things that never come I'm thinking I might start Reaching for the sun and place the clouds and stay
Speaker: Man, I really enjoyed that. I really like the kind of like the stripped down. He's working within his limitations kind of aspect of that. You know, it worked really well. That's the beauty of the four track, isn't it? Yeah, it's great.
Speaker: You just do what you can do and you do what's necessary. And that's the song. That's the song. And that's what we talked about before. so And it was a nice, happy, sad song. I enjoyed it very much. We do love a happy, sad song. Yeah, yeah. And he mentioned Batman.
Speaker: He did mention Batman. Yeah, I bet you liked that, didn't you? That that that kind of prick your ears up, didn't it? Because you're a big fan of Batman, aren't yeah Well, we talked about Batman before, and we both agreed that he's the best superhero.
Speaker: I think I might have mentioned in the past that there's a TV channel in this country called Talking Pictures TV. Oh, yeah. It just shows lots of old crap. Anything which is out of copyright or loads of terrible kind of...
Speaker: There's a program called The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, which is poorly. You're really selling it, but um is it free is it is it free to view? It's a free to is free to air. You don't need subscribe to it.
Speaker: It's on one of the higher channel numbers. okay But the reason I know about The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, because he's half past eight on Saturday mornings, is followed at nine o'clock by an episode of Batman. Oh, yeah.
Speaker: oh Which is great. We're now into the third season. They only did three series of it. you hear Third series, it went properly down the toilet. But the other thing that's really interesting about the third series is they introduce Batgirl.
Speaker: Yeah. Batgirl, played by Yvonne Craig. Yeah. Everyone's got a type, haven't they, Steve? Oh, yeah. And the ah sexy librarian with the glasses on is, let's be honest...
Speaker: It's aftertide. It's an not everybody's time. See the thoughts though, yeah, yeah. It was such a big deal that she made like a miniature seven and a half minute film introducing her Batgirl is Commissioner Gordon's daughter yes Barbara and she works in a library but she actually has a secret cubby hole in the library where she can get changed and turn into Batgirl I feel a bit sorry for for Robin at this point because why would you need Robin if you've got Batgirl I mean in the small clip that you sent me Batgirl has got a bat compact yeah a laser bat compact puts through anything that can destroy anything.
Speaker: So what's Robin got? No. He just asks annoying questions. Yeah. I mean, the only downer about Batgirl is her theme tune. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: That girl, that girl Where do you come from, where do you go? What is your scene, baby, we just gotta know That girl, that girl That girl, that girl Are you a chick who fell in from outer space?
Speaker: Or are you real with a tender warm embrace? Yeah, whose baby are you? That girl, that girl That girl, that girl Yeah I went to see a Michael Jackson tribute act the other week.
Speaker: Just leaving that there on the table. was along. i was singing along to some of the songs certainly at the beginning of the set because it was kind of it kind of went through in a chronological order yeah I was wearing my single Sea Queen glove obviously but when it got to Earth Song and then went into Dirty Diana that was me done really I had to go and get some chips oh there was a there was a Beyonce tribute on before Michael Jackson as support and that was Beyonce you look more like Beyonce than she did do you
Speaker: Well, thank you. On the 90s, Derby scene, I just want to be seen. On the 90s, Derby scene, where have you been?
Speaker: On the 90s, Derby scene, I just want to be seen. What musical cuisine, Stephen Jard, are going to serve today? Oh, I'm quite excited about this, Steve. Yes. Because you told me that we're going to listen to Stars on the Water, and I've been ready for this all day. Well, you got it, Stan.
Speaker: Because I'm a big fan of country music, I was mean.
Speaker: That sounds like horrible modern country music.
Speaker: We don't do the modern country music, Giles, as you well know. Stars on the water. It's George Strait. Yeah. Hey, do you want to know an interesting fact about George Strait?
Speaker: Yes, i would I would love to know something interesting about him. Fun fact. His ah mother is second cousin to Jeff Bezos. Wow. Yeah. There you go. Yes, well, that's that's a thing. Non-fun fact, George Strait has got terminal cancer.
Speaker: Ooh. That's, okay, move on, moving on. So, Stars on the Water. Stars on the Water were a derby band, and they were formed from the ashes of another derby band called Laser Guided. We're going talk about them next week, so don't spoil it. But anyway, they stopped doing stuff, and a few of the people from the band formed a band called Stars on the Water.
Speaker: And they were, certainly on this recording we're talking about, a four-piece. You've got Phil Arnold on vocals and guitar, Will, our friend Will, of I Am Wilbraham fame, on lead guitar, Ollie Wright,
Speaker: on bass and vocals and eyeliner and Anne-Marie on drums and flute on this song. Not at the same time. She was very, very talented. I'd like to see that.
Speaker: Well, ah we did see them live. In fact, they did play flute and drums at the same time. i I don't um mean remember. I would remember that. It would be something, wouldn't it? But yeah, I'm pretty sure that when we played with them in September of the year of Our Lord 2000 at the Victoria Inn at Derby, that this was the first song that they played in their set. Well, you did ask me to see if I could find another review.
Speaker: You hadn't found it, have you? No, let you down there. Anyway, let's listen to the song. Let's see if they mention Batman.
Speaker: There's something wrong inside But that's all fine When you're still feeling blind Don't feel alone with us Let me call the city alive You wasted my brain with
Speaker: a love
Speaker: Something wrong in life If that's not right, then why don't I feel it out? Should I use something wrong?
Speaker: Something wrong in life Let me come and see your love It's you and my friends
Speaker: I was talking to something else, we don't cry, but there's always a simple way.
Speaker: I was talking to something, and we should never cry, but there's always a simple way. I was talking to something else, we should never cry, but there's always simple way.
Speaker: I was talking of something You should never cry There's always simple way
Speaker: There's something wrong inside But that's all I wish to feel like Don't feel alone There's something wrong with me
Speaker: I was talking to something else, keep it all right, it was always a simple way. I was talking to something, but she never cried, it was always a simple way.
Speaker: I was talking of something You should never cry It's always a simple way I was talking of something You should never cry It's always a simple way
Speaker: I was talking to something He should never cry
Speaker: Yeah. Why did you have to do that? That song. Yes, that song. That is a bit of me, that is. What you mean, that is a bit me? That hit the spot, that did. There's a bit at the end. did The section that they play at the end. Yeah. The fourth chord that they play.
Speaker: Yes. And it's in is part of the chorus. It's like, you should never cry. It's always a simple way, at that bit. The chord is simple, but oh my Lord, that's great.
Speaker: Did you enjoy that? Oh man, I loved that. I mean, that was Derby in the 1990s there. But it's less... head down sort of shoegazing but that was a bit Velvet Underground third album Galaxy 500 that kind of thing I love it I loved it it was incredible how she managed to play that flute while she was drumming she didn't even miss a beat man it's very impressive It was good anyway. It was good. I enjoyed that.
Speaker: I don't really remember. I don't think I was paying much attention to them when we did a gig with them. We we did a couple of gigs with them. We we played it we played at the Vic. And then I don't think we played with them for about four years because everybody went to university. We went to Manchester. Remember, we drove up to Manchester.
Speaker: drove and Jeff Bot was drumming for us. And we drove up to Manchester, did a gig, came home. And I don't even think we stayed to to watch them really, but so we were old men by then. Anyway, let's make up for it now.
Speaker: Lavish them with praise. That was very enjoyable. Is that available anywhere? Not at the moment, but there's a lot of talk about Artists Against Success, which is the label that released records by Johnny Domino, putting together a compilation of Stars on the Water stuff.
Speaker: yeah So, yes, if that does come out, we'll mention it again. But that is a song called Bluer Than Reason. Yeah, it was very nice. At the moment, the only place you can listen to it is on this podcast. So you could just rewind and listen to it again. And again. And again. There you go It's there for you forever.
Speaker: Advert.
Speaker: I want some. Super Crunchies. I want some. Can you remember Super Crunchies? No, but want some from that advert. I mean, they were crisps. They cost 10 pence a bank. They were not anyone's idea of health food.
Speaker: But the advert... i want some super crunchy so i um can you remember super crunch cheese no but i i want some from that advert i mean they were crisps they cost ten pence a bank may they they were not anyone's idea of health food but the advert and we'll include the show notes, is a very, very early example of computer animation from the 80s. It is not high-tech, but it probably makes the crisps look slightly more natural than they looked in real life. Yeah.
Speaker: So anyway, I did enjoy Stars on the Water, but, you know, we kind of substituted Stars on the Water because we originally wanted to feature another band, didn't we? Oh, hang hang on. Oh, yeah. I'll speed it up.
Speaker: I'll speed it up. It's okay. Cut.
Speaker: More on the Derby scene. Right. So we were saying, we did originally, we wanted to feature another band called Super Creeps. Super Creeps. Because they're a band that live anyway yeah so say more on the darrby scene right so as we said we did originally we wanted to feature another band called super creeps super creeps ah because they have a band that live Long in the memory. and Live long in the memory. They've got a big space in my head. Yes. I've got a terrible feeling that they're going to disappoint me because the thing is, right, all the other Derby bands that we played with, we kind of got access to their music, right? i can i can go back. i can listen to it.
Speaker: We can find no super creeps anywhere. I used to have a tape. of theirs, but I don't know where it is. yeah Super Creeps, we got in touch with them because we did a gig in Derby and we played... so you talking about back in the olden days we got in touch with them? I'm talking about... Are you talking about now we got in touch with them? No, you stupid, stupid man. I'm talking about back in the day... Back in the older days? Yeah. Back in the olden days, yeah we did a gig. We played in Derby supporting Delgado's and the electric sound of joy. yes yeah And yeah we've mentioned a free Derby listings magazine called Home Cooking in the past. And for that one gig, we got two reviews in Home Cooking.
Speaker: That was what a golden moment in our history. That was basically everything with Daniel from then. yeah and But one of them was written by Emma from the band Super Creeps. And Emma and her partner Martin, also in Super Creeps, yeah they interviewed Johnny Domino.
Speaker: Oh, did they? Yeah, we we had an interview in Derby's storied Blessington Carriage Pop. Okay. Well, we'll talk about that another time. but we So basically, then we did some gigs with them, right? Yes, we did. we did And we did loads of gigs with them.
Speaker: But now we can't hear their music. We've been in touch. but They're not getting back in touch with us, are they, Steve? Well, they're not getting in touch with you, are they? So I'm going to try. They're drawing a blank, aren't we, Steve? We're drawing a blank here, right? So what do we do, Steve?
Speaker: Well, what can we do? what kind what What can we do in this situation? we really want to feature them on the podcast, but we haven't got any of their stuff. Let's see.
Speaker: A long time ago, me and my brother Steve here were gigging down in Derby, Sienna went down badly, lo-fi with little effect, they seemed unrehearsed.
Speaker: But then came on a band with a beat as big as mountains, lyrics handcrafted, guitars that were screaming, the crowd were in raptures, the crowd were in raptures, the crowd were in raptures and the song began to play.
Speaker: This is not the song This is not the song This is not the song We think it's like the song This is not the song This is not the song We think it's like the song Caught flesh on the animals
Speaker: A singer was a weirdo in sex jeans blowing smoke Keyboard players a nice guy dancing like a ponce Me and Steve were the proclaimers in Cook Price Magic Band The creeps looked us in the eyes and they held out their hands And the song that they sang was not this song
Speaker: It manifested
Speaker: This is not the song It's something like the song This is not the song This is not the song This is not the song Cold flesh and the animal
Speaker: So look at it this way, right? Okay. um We could do this one or two ways, really. we could We could just hang around and see if Super Creature replied to us, right?
Speaker: Or we could make our own version. You know, that's what we did, right? And I think this could become another a feature. Engedimento no kikai.
Speaker: or a gelegenheit zum engagement, or an engagement opportunity. I wonder if other people might be able to and see if they can envisage what the super creeps sound like.
Speaker: Yeah? Okay. I'll give you a clue, listener. yeah and it It needs to be trip-hop noir. Right. So, yeah, we need you to see if you can come up with a... You're imagining of what the Super Creeps sounded like, OK?
Speaker: or Or your best remembrance of what the Super Creeps sounded like. Yeah, absolutely. or if you were Or if you weren't there, just see if you can imagine. i should say, we did mention ah that we did loads of gigs with them We did two gigs with them.
Speaker: That's a lot. I'm looking at the list. Derby in the Victoria Inn, previously mentioned. and later that same month, we played in Litchfield. I remember that. Litchfield. And that was the gig when the That was the last time I went to Litchfield.
Speaker: Yeah, the stage had a ceiling which hanged in front of our faces. Yeah. So it occasionally bent down and waved at people. And Jim unveiled his gig trousers.
Speaker: He did. As I mentioned in the song. He certainly did, yes. He knew. Yeah, we should probably mention the fact that there was a super creep song that we remember the title of and it was called Flesh and the Animals.
Speaker: That was not it. And that was not it. But hence the, yeah hence that. Hi, I'm Giles and Stephen's mum. And I don't listen to their podcasts. I think they're very silly boys.
Speaker: You know, you sent me in an article about miserable men because we had a conversation about being miserable because I'm a bit of a miserable booger sometimes. Yes, you are. And you sent me an article from the Daily Mail. I don't know how like you... Did you read the Daily Mail?
Speaker: Clearly not. well and this this article is called... All the signs your husband has miserable man syndrome. In my defense, I would just like to say that I look at the BBC News app in the morning, look at the front pages, look at things are funny, of course and send them to my friends. And sometimes I send it to my brother.
Speaker: And this one was, yes, as you say, all the size your husband as miserable man syndrome. yeah And everybody felt very seen by that article. I'll put it on the show notes. I think it might be worth reading, but it's about how the middle-aged man don't deal very well with the changes of middle age, not processing their emotions about physical changes, yeah the perhaps their career hitting a wall, and then withdrawing into risk-averse, self-conscious, general dissatisfaction yeah and miserable behavior.
Speaker: As it says in the article, friends and colleagues still think he's funny, charming, and easy to be around. that irritability and gloom are reserved for home. Absolutely, yes. Yeah. i think we can all relate to that. yeah But I think perhaps we should really have a word with ourselves and try not to be like that.
Speaker: But what can we do, Steve? What sort of things can we do to stop ourselves being these miserable men? Because I know you can be a miserable bastard sometimes.
Speaker: Yes. I tend to just listen to really miserable music. Yes. Yeah. It can be quite good, can't it? I mean, cathartic. I mean, I talk to the dog.
Speaker: Yeah. Seeing friends is quite good. Yes. Especially if they're other miserable men. Yeah. and Because then you could possibly think, Christ, I'm not as miserable as them. Go to the vinyl night up the road. That's what I do. I'll tell you about that soon. tell you about that another day. You keep threatening to mention this. You've got to mention it. It's very fun. It's very fun.
Speaker: I played some Colourblind James experience the other the week. it was It went down very well. and we've We've come up with a little concept here. Miserable men can quite often get quite a lot out of listening to, not well, not necessarily miserable women, but women singing miserable songs.
Speaker: Yeah. So have you got any recommendations of miserable songs that might might be good for a miserable man to listen to? Well, not necessarily miserable.
Speaker: But the female voice is a yeah is a balm to the middle-aged miserable man's soul, isn't it? Well, I'm a big fan of an artist called Juni Harble.
Speaker: She's a Norwegian folk singer. and It's kind of Norwegian... spectral kind of witch folk yeah and I've loved her last album carvings and her new album is out now and I'm waiting for my copy to turn up in the post I think she's great yeah I like um oh how else do I like who's miserable a miserable woman or not necessarily miserable woman I like snail mail first album in particular we both like Angel Olsen oh I love Angel Olsen I like the earlier recordings of Sharon Van Etten.
Speaker: I can't get on with that. I've started listening to and enjoying Anna von Hauswolf. Don't know. Well, in 2020, she brought out an album called All Thoughts Fly, which is a series of solo organ performances, none more gothic.
Speaker: And then I got a an album because it was going for cheap on Bandcamp called, well, basically her live at Montreux. It's got some proper screaming goth crap on it. It's great.
Speaker: You quite like a bit goth stuff, don't you? Not really, no. i kind of missed it all, but I particularly like that. Yeah? Yeah, and yeah one of my favourite albums, controversially of all time, is Forever How Long by Black Country New Road.
Speaker: They've moved on on that album. Instead of having a bloke talking over all their songs, it's the three women in the band sharing the vocals. Yeah, yeah. That I think is fantastic. yeah yeah very good what about you and Nina Nostalgia always one of my favourites yeah yeah ah the album On Leaving very very good um compact Misery.
Speaker: That's why I would describe it. New artist, Aura Kogan, a Canadian dreamy, country-tinged, psychedelic artist. Very kind of folky-ish.
Speaker: Album, Hard-Hearted Woman. It's got some really good songs on it. Very, very nice. And I've been listening to, and it's not necessarily missed that miserable, but very interesting album.
Speaker: and This is on the recommendation of my eldest son, who is a man of ah very distinguished taste. distinguished taste An album which I could not get along with when he first introduced it to me.
Speaker: It's called Imaginal Disc, and it's by the band Magdalena Bay from 2024. ever heard of it? No.
Speaker: Well, you need to hear it because it will convince you that progressive synth pop is a thing. They're a duo, Misha Tannenbaum and Matthew Lewin.
Speaker: It's a concept album about a character named True, who has a physical imaginal disc implanted into her forehead. It's pretty full on.
Speaker: It's quite intense at times, although it is pop. It borders on the prog rock at other points, and it's an album that really does demand your attention. If you try doing um sort of housework while you're listening to it, you will experience motion sickness, as I did. But if you sit down and listen to it with your headphones on, it's quite an interesting and grossing experience. So I'd recommend that one to the listener.
Speaker: Especially if they're a miserable old man. Yeah, but I've still never, I've not managed to really understand the full narrative of the concept album. It's not as easy to understand as say like Tommy or something, but maybe that's because I'm the wrong generation. You know what I mean? I'm a bit old, but I'm digging it.
Speaker: We're making a podcast in the face of certain doom. We are this, our Johnny Domino. We're making a podcast and we're playing our skill tunes.
Speaker: This is, this, our Johnny Domino. We're brothers, we wear glasses. We've got medical conditions.
Speaker: We've both been alive for a while.
Speaker: We're making a podcast in the face of certain dew. It's time for this on Johnny Domino. Oh, something like that, anyway. I've got a dog poem. Let's have a poem.
Speaker: This is a poem called Bella the Space Dog.
Speaker: Bullied by the heavy sky, wandering carefree, through the brown and green land, walking Bella the Space Dog. Saturday in caffeinated with the dog of my heart.
Speaker: It was going quite well till we got to the park, then it started to rain pretty hard. Bella the space dog is a great dog. She will make you feel missed when you get home pissed, off and lost after the day.
Speaker: She is, however, the sort of dog who after the apocalypse would, when most of the people are pretty much done, be a dirty and matted mass of brown fluff, dejectedly chewing on insects and stuff, just a meal for another bigger dog.
Speaker: Now I'm dragging the dog, whose idea this was, uphill from the park, in the rain and the dark, past the lights on full beam, burning over the stream on tarmac-a-dam, as we look like we swam.
Speaker: Bella the space dog is restless and lazy. Bella the space dog dreams of her youth. Bella the space dog is needy, a loner. Bella the space dog turned into her owner.
Speaker: Nice. Bella is one of the quietest dogs I have ever met. Yeah. She's freakishly quiet. It's weird. She's a very weird dog. She's like not really a dog.
Speaker: She's more like a cat than a dog, but a cat that you can take out on the lead. Nah. The This Art Johnny Domino podcast. It's got bongos. Can do another one now?
Speaker: Go on. All right. This one's not got title yet. It's not very long. You returned and you bought the good weather with you. Now I can sit in the park on the grass with my jeans getting slightly damp, watching the trees come back to life on my own while you catch up with Married at First Sight.
Speaker: Oh, I caught a bit of Married at First Sight the other night. was flicking through the channels and Maffsa, the Australian version is what I was watching. And there was a man talking to his new father-in-law about his concerns that his relationship may flounder with his new bride because of a lack of sexual chemistry.
Speaker: And he said that to his new father-in-law. Yes. That's an inappropriate dinner party conversation. I'm just going to say that right now.
Speaker: But yeah, but then that's, that's, that is the, uh, meat and potatoes for, uh, married at first sight. Um, and, and, you know, maybe, maybe, uh, you know, we need to perhaps reel it in a little bit, people. Maybe just hold it, hold it back. Hold it back. Yes, absolutely.
Speaker: You don't have to say everything. Not all the time, no. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: Jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle. Jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle.
Speaker: So, Morgan and I, we're going to talk about a song by Johnny Domino hello from our most recent, as in last recorded album from 2004 called...
Speaker: Yes, I know you always get uptight about that. ah The album Solid Ground, and it's a song called Second Greatest, because you had an idea about talking about songs where, i mean, we've mentioned in the past occasion ah that we would work on songs and really kill ourselves to get them sounding right, and then we'd just throw something out, and the ones that we throw out and do really, really quickly are the ones that last.
Speaker: And we wanted to talk about songs that where we didn't, We just kept on working and killed them a bit. Yeah. I was just thinking about it, Steve. I was just thinking about like the idea of overworking stuff. That's it, yeah. As a concept, right? Because Esteban, earlier on in the episode, he didn't overwork that song. that was love not It was nice. you know it It was just there. It had its four tracks. It was not overworked. There's something light about it, right?
Speaker: And quite often when you're making stuff, The stuff that comes easy, the stuff that has a light touch is the best stuff, right? And the stuff that you labor over and you overwork and you really try to get right, you can really hear the labor.
Speaker: And we've definitely been guilty of that in the past. Oh, yeah. So is this an example of us having a light touch or is this as an example of us overworking stuff? Well, it's just when you mentioned the idea about things that are overworked,
Speaker: yeah this song popped immediately into my head because I remember a very particular conversation we had where I was round at your old house and we were listening to this song and the words that you said to me were were we not listening to any music at this time yeah but it didn't sound like music but not in a challenging Mertzbau art piece sort of way it just it just sounded bad
Speaker: Yeah, I wonder if it still sounds as bad. I've not heard it for ages, so let's just see, is this as bad as I remember it? I know we worked for a very long time on this track. Yeah.
Speaker: We're the second rating, half slick as the name We're the second rating, imagining We are the masses, a life-fungry
Speaker: We are the masters of the homeless cause We're the second greatest We're the almost was We are the masters of the homeless cause We're the second greatest
Speaker: We're the almost ones We are the masters of the hopeless cause We're
Speaker: We're the almost one. We are the masters of the hopeless cause. We're the second greatest.
Speaker: We're the almost one. We are the masters of the hopeless cause.
Speaker: To paraphrase Anton Newcomb, yeah i'm not I'm not in the music business. I'm in the this old Johnny Domino business. Yeah. That was better than I thought it was going to be, strangely.
Speaker: I thought it was ghastly. You thought worse than you thought it was. Yeah, it made me think. I mean, I went to see i went see Macbeth the other night, yeah you're the other week, to make me think of, it's a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Well, I don't know, man. I don't know, man. I think being the master of a hopeless cause, it's not that bad.
Speaker: i think he's you know i think being a master of hopeless cause is an okay thing. I think so it depends on the the way you look at it. You'd be a master of something. I think we were blowing our own trumpet there.
Speaker: You could say that, but it's also a bit like, oh, when no one's going to hear this, or we almost were, and all this kind of stuff. And it's like, Just, oh, it just went on for so long as well.
Speaker: don't know. don't know. It depends what mood you're in. I quite liked it. And I hated the guitar sound. You know, that bothered me as well. though It was just horrible. You thought it was ghastly, did you?
Speaker: I thought it was ghastly. Did you think it was utterly ghastly? I thought it was utterly, butterly ghastly. I did not like. Did not like. Do not recommend.
Speaker: Okay. okay I thought it had something to go for it, to be honest, that time. Maybe it's the drugs I'm on, don't know. Possibly. i think it could have done a bit more of your daft falsetto at the end as well. I liked that. Yeah, thought it was a bit Aled Jones. that was That's definitely a ah flex.
Speaker: I wasn't sure about the Johnny Domino podcast, but I gave it a chance, and now I think I love it. Have you been listening to any different podcasts recently? Because I've got a couple of podcasts that I could talk about and recommend, and actually.
Speaker: Yeah, well, I've been listening to the latest series of Cole Kushner's Dissect podcast. Previously, he's done long-form evaluations of hip-hop albums, like a Track It At a Time. The first one was about To Pimp a Butterfly, and the current one is about Daft Punk.
Speaker: And obviously not many lyrics on there, but it's fascinating. It's really, really, really interesting, way more interesting than I thought it would be. So I'm very much enjoying that.
Speaker: I've been listening to and a newish podcast. Well, it's not that new. Have you ever heard 101 Part-Time Jobs? No. It's quite good. It's a music podcast.
Speaker: It's interviews with musicians. ah The first one I listened to, ah kind of got into it because they did an interview with, you know, your fella from Geith.
Speaker: Oh yeah, Cameron Winter. Cameron Winter, yeah. and it was It was very entertaining. It's this ah English fella. Immediately i was kind of turned off because his name is Giles. oh i don't like I don't like the fact that he's called Giles. His name is Giles Bidder.
Speaker: It's one of those podcasts where I really like the premise of the podcast and I like the interviews, but I find the host a little bit annoying. He's kind of got that annoying millennial kind of thing about him. Okay. I can't get over. I'm just an old fuck.
Speaker: and Yeah. He uses phrases like to describe music when it's good. He says, that song fucks. I've never heard anybody say that. That song Fox.
Speaker: but Giles Bitter uses the phrase, that song Fox, to describe something that's good, right? I'm officially out. There's some quite interesting interviews with people, is but and it's like it's about how people make it work being in a band, right? The interviews are geared towards, and it's very good at getting people to talk about how they organise, actually making it it work in a band in this current age, when people don't make money. eco you know You don't get money that much money from putting records out and stuff anymore these days. I don't know whether you've heard this, right? I'm aware of that, yes. And, you know, they get anybody from streaming. So how do they do it? And these people, they're kind of heroic. A lot of these people in these little bands.
Speaker: Yeah. Quite often it's bands that I've never heard of and then I go away and listen to them and I don't tend to like them that much. But I think the interviews are really, really good. So I'd give it a go, honestly. see what you think anyway. You might get on with Giles better than I do.
Speaker: No, I've got a problem with people called Charles. Yeah, right all right. And then the other thing I was listening to today was a six music podcast in the series The Rise and Fall of, which has got The Rise and Fall of Oasis and The Rise and Fall of Manchester. We've got The Rise and Fall of Indie Sleaze.
Speaker: Indie sleeves. Which i'm finding I'm finding very educational. It's like the the BBC's doing its thing here. It's like it's educating me about a gap in my musical knowledge because in the early noughties, I was very much ah involved in having children and working.
Speaker: And I think my musical knowledge dipped massively. I mean, who the fuck are Maximo Park, right? Well, they sound a little bit like XTC, and that was the band I was trying to think of at the time when you were talking about it. Was it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. There you go, full circle, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, so this this series, ah The Rise and Fall of Indie Sleaze, is about those bands, right? So the Libertades, the Kooks, Kaiser Chiefs, that kind of movement of indie that kind of happened
Speaker: to the generation after us, really. Well, that's kind of like early blog bands. Yeah, it is. It's got a lot of stuff about MySpace in it. Yeah, it's Strokes and Liberties and the L2D sound system. So you should listen to it. It's kind of interesting.
Speaker: But yeah, you know, the Kooks. I mean, who the fuck are the Kooks? But, you know, apparently they're massive, right? There you go, the Kooks. My favourite fact about the Kooks is their second album was called Conk.
Speaker: And most of all, Razorlight. dad Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful. Razorlight. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what's happened to me? I've got that song in my head, man.
Speaker: That song. That one went, Oh my life, watching American Girl. and and to merry Yeah, I'm looking at this list. That's a good song. That's a good song.
Speaker: It's a song for today, man. I'm speaking. I'm looking at this list of indie sleaze bands. I listen to quite a lot of them. I wouldn't say that I don't like The Strokes. Oh, I like The Strokes. And I feel like LCD Sound System.
Speaker: Yeah. And of I've seen that to the film based on that book. Yeah, man. and Meet Me in the Bathroom. Yeah. Yeah, but that's all that's the American stuff. that's the this is This is about like the British bands, the ones that are always playing at festivals that i don't go to.
Speaker: The vaccines. Yeah, that kind of thing, yeah? Right? And don't know anything about them, really. but you know, there you go. It's filling my knowledge, you see. Filling your knowledge. And so, well done to the BBC. Well done to the BBC. I'm starting to appreciate Razorlight.
Speaker: get it.
Speaker: Yeah? It's a beautiful song. It's awful. No? You don't like it? You like it? What was that guy called? Johnny something. He was a Johnny Burrell. Yeah? Johnny Burrell. no but links Listen, listen, they like, all my life watching America.
Speaker: All my life, there's panic in America. Oh, oh, oh, oh, there's trouble in America. Wow. know There you go.
Speaker: It's prescient, isn't it? He could see the future, couldn't he? He certainly could. Yeah. Oh, final question. What's your favourite form of egg? Favourite form of egg? Favourite form of egg?
Speaker: Hmm. I would say it's probably omelette or scrambled. Oh, you little bugger. well that's like That's the correct answer. Well done.
Speaker: What, omelette or scrambled? Yeah. What do I win? You win my eternal gratitude and respect. Does it have a cash value? you but love you oh by the way and people I actually was I meant it and if you're still awake at this point this is an engagement opportunity write a song that you think sounds like the super creeps go do it thanks for listening see you soon bye bye
Speaker: Please do like and subscribe to our podcast and recommend it to someone who you think might like listening to all this kind of weird shit. Send us some of your old music and enter the eternal halls of the four-track gods.
Speaker: We are the masters of the hopeless cause.
