Hot days, hot circles, but over cooked ham and eggs

So I've been out buying and eating disappointing ham and eggs. Can you dig it?

First up is the Helen Shapiro track that I rambled about last time when I was talking about Earl Okin. I'll be damned if that ain't him playing the axe at the start...This was her last single and features on the great CD "British Soul Vol.1". Any copies on hot circles have long since been out of Den's reach...Nice pic cribbed from the web of Helen without that daft bee-hive do she was famous for...

Helen Shapiro- Stop & you'll become aware

I found time to meet my side dealer last Saturday and whilst eating a rather disappointing plate of ham and eggs I looked over some circles. I was drawn in by the title of this one...and yes it is the Wolf Man making a guest appearance on here. I don't know what to make of that Rundgren fellow but with this and "Bang on my drum" I can't help like the cut of his jib.

Todd Rundgren- Wolfman Jack

Den's always had a soft spot for those crazy anglo-philes Sparks since first seeing them TOTP2 back in early nineties. The guy with the Hitler tache on the moth box giving this 14 year old the shits and giggles. This one has been on the shelf for a long time but Den particularly has a soft spot for this track and it's "Charlie, Charlie, Charlie" part. It's the most burnt track on the follow up to "Kimino my house"- "Propaganda" which has a great cover. As an extra here's the video for the best title and video of last year- "Lighten up Morrissey". You'd think at the age of 50 he might have...come on Mozza...

Sparks- BC

Sparks- Lighten up Morrissey Video

Den has snaffled up some DVDs this week whilst being home alone including flicks from about ten years hence. "Your friends & neighbors" by Neil LaBute was a big fave back in those fuzzy Uni days and I finally got to watch it again now I've hooked up the new DVD player. Don't expect any nice guys in this one- these guys are universally a bunch of rotters, well maybe not Aaron Eckhart and his funky top lip fuzz...

Your friends and neighbors trailer

Another one from my night out at the Ida Barr show the other week- Spymonkey. I thought these may be a bit on the naff side and whilst their circus tomfoolery may not be to everyone's taste the Joan of Arc routine was a side splitter. I was particularly fond of the little bald one who looked like a small version of Bernard Breslaw. Watch out these fellas ain't shy when it comes to ditching the threads...Toodle-ooo, just remember if you see 'em avoid the front row...!

Various Spymonkey friggings about...

The shivering fits

So another visit to Den's Den...I was down at The Lyceum to see the fantastic Ida Barr burlesque show on Sunday night which gave me not only the shits and giggles but plenty of material for this here blog. We've got tracks, we've got girls and we've got magic. What more do you want?!

This guy flips my wig. Not only did he write the previously pimped on this blog "Stop and you'll become aware" by Helen Shapiro but he's a peachy-keen cabaret geetar player with a fine line of patter for the ladies. This guy looks like that arch-Tory Maurice Saatchi but don't let that give you the heeby-jeebs: he's as smooth as a baby's ass with a voice to match! There's nothing on offer here to download but if you search for him on Itunes there are free downloads of the Earl Okin show, capiche! Do it! Search the web for the equally fab "Bessie". All-together now..."Get that FAT arm offa me!

Earl Okin- My room

I don't care what people say about Tom Waits- he sounds like Dylan after eating a bowl of barbed wire, he tries too hard, he's pretentious etc...this guy can pull off the white blues trick pretty well...and we all know how tricky that can be. Wig out to this prime slab from '85.

Tom Waits- Union Square

And so on to The Puppini Sisters, sisters they ain't but they sure can play. Yup, they murder a few modern tracks on the two LP's they've churned out but this is one of their own and should point the way forward. What kind of a schlub would jilt these dolls?

The Puppini Sisters- Jilted

So Den watch the above-average Judd Apatow flick "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (surely they could come up with a better title than that stinker...) last night and you can forget about the blondie from "Heroes" and tune your peepers into the receptionist Mila Kunis. Maybe it's cos Den is holidaying in Hawaii but she gave me the shivering fits...not a bad flick but it's a shame all receptionists are slick-back haired polyester-suit wearing desk-jockeys instead of this Russian delight!

Forgetting Sarah Marshall trailer

So there was this Ida Barr thing on at The Lyceum and there was plenty o' good stuff with Den took up in the front row but he was particularly taken with the fantastic Ursula Martinez. Now Den ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer and he though actual 'magic' was taking place when apparently it's down to a large fake thumb...can you spot it? This women's got balls!

Ursula Martinez- Hanky routine!

Great tasting chicken and cold beer

Den's trying to up the ante with all the balls he's got in the air at the moment. Things may be tough but hard work should pay off! So he's in like Flint with some bad-ass rock n roll from Bob Log, Jack Scott & The Domestic Bumblebees; laugh-a-minute hangman flick "Pierrepoint" and the dream boat that is Doris Mayday!

First up then Robert Logan III aka Bob Log. I've seen this bat shit cycle-helmet wearing nut-job on 3 occasions now. The most recently at The Shakespeare (see the youtube clip...Den is just out of shot!). This fucker can play a mean guitar and is one hell of a performer. Check out the "Log Bomb" album that features the song that has been squeezing Den's skull this week "Boob Scotch"- it's such a frickin' hoot!!

Bob Log III- Boob Scotch

Bob Log III- Boob Scotch Live at The Shakespeare

An now onto these Swedish dudes who I found through the back door in a deserted alley way whilst sniffing out some duds. This 7" platter is available for 60krona (I don't know how much that is in real money but buy it!) from the fantastic Sivletto. This side is the flip of this single that comes US-style with the centre punched out. Whilst you're at it check out the vid of them performing with that bloke from The Hives.

The Domestic Bumblebees- The rash

The Domestic Bumblebees with Howlin Pelle Vid

Phew, double-doggies this week...and on to Jack Scott. I know very little about this douche-bag. He sings and plays guitar like he don't give a shit- making Bob Log sound like Hank Marvin (only joking kids!). Tune in them cab doors then watch the disturbing UFO vid. The whole of 'I hate CD's' CD is a goer...

Jack Scott- Chicken

Jack Scott- UFO Vid

Den watched the gagfest that is "Pierrepoint" earlier this week and was particularly taken with the wardrobe of the ill-fated Jessie Kelly played by Claire Keelan from "Nathan Barley", appearing alongside the always good Eddie Marsden. 

Pierrepoint trailer

And on to this lady- Doris Mayday. I'd noticed her in previous issues of "Bachelor Pad" but I was sat on the big white telephone earlier reading a Bettie Page clothing catalogue and there she was...and here she is for you poor stiffs! With curves like that you can come over all unnecessary!

Doris Mayday profile

Secret Lemonade quaffing

Den again turns his attention to one artist this week- Lulu. Now, Den couldn't think of anything worse than being stuck in a lift with this diminutive Glasweigan but he's tuned his cab doors into a number of her sixties sides recently. There's a particular place in Den's heart for "Leave a little love". Meanwhile, back in Intake Den has been watching "Ashes to Ashes", "High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman", the last two episodes of "The Devil's Whore" and thumbing through issue 7 of "Bachelor Pad" magazine. 

A surprise is always nice and back in the day Den was wandering through a minefield of sides he actively avoided the highly annoying Lulu. Den was confronted with that god-awful Take That track and Lulu breaking into song at the drop of the hat. He distinctly remembers her talking about John Lennon on a documentary and her breaking into "HELP- I need sumbawdy"...Just pretend you don't know any of this garbage and settle into these beauties...

Lulu- Leave a little love

Lulu- Love loves to love love

Den's never been one for taking in what he picks up in the daily rags and this is no exception. Yup, it's no "Life on Mars" and Keeley Hawes isn't a patch on John Simm but tune in on Monday's to the great "Ashes to Ashes". Den is beginning to develop a liking for Shazza- Montserrat Lombard, though he preferred the barnet in series 1! Check out the link below to Auntie Beebs website. Despite being an obvious gag the Gene Hunt pith on the TOTP clips are worth a look!

Ashes to Ashes BBC Site

Not much to say as let your eyes feast on Roxi Dlite- current star of the great Bachelor Pad Magazine. There's a great set of snaps of Roxi making some lemonade! Damn! I've got a thirst!

Get the mag here from Pin Up Parade

Roxi's Website

Attack of the killer tomatoes!

Phew, Bank Holiday weekend has just passed by with plenty of bug juice flowing chez Den. Time to get back down to the day gig and soldier through to Friday night with some serious down time and ogling the one-eyed lodger with my cheaters on. So, more food for the ipod, Andrea Riseborough & Honey Wilde. Remember the links give you the real good stuff!

This has to be one of the best song titles in the world. If Den's sharabang could talk he'd tell him to clean the goddamn thing. Though I did snaffle up a Jelly Belly cherry flavoured air-freshener for said rig yesterday so she can't complain too much...The way Lou warbles "Watch yourself Sarah Jane- i'll catch you yet" brings a tear to the eye at the desperation in his fantastically under-rated falsetto voice. I promise that they'll be a an all Lou issue soon. The schlub that hawked this one to Den told him that the soul bag wearing pill heads at the Wigan Casino voted with the feet with this one- straight to the bogs and the bar when this was tried out during the pop-crazy late '70's fad at Wigan. Den is here to put it right Lou, pop isn't a dirty word and this is one hot to trot circle!

Lou Christie- If my car could only talk

An anglo-Italian residing in Bournemouth? You don't get many of them to the pound. Whadda voice! Cilla Black...furgetaboutit!

Nita Rossi- Untrue, Unfaithful (that was you)

This is another one that snuck up on me recently. Although an Irma Thomas track sneaking up on Den happens rarely as her sides are so hard to snaffle. My eyes and ears in the field have let me down. There's so many that I'm itching to get my sticky paws on- "Breakaway", "The hurts all gone", "Anyone who knows what love is" and "I'm gonna cry 'til my tears run dry" to name but 4 . This gal just kills me...

Irma Thomas- Ruler of my heart

As you have probably picked up the SP on by now is that Den can be a little slow to catch things on the one-eyed box in the corner. He started watching “The Devil’s Whore” at the arse-end of ’08 but missed the final 2 episodes so he sought it out on the 4OD. It’s a good un with a scar faced, greasy-haired Jon Simm being all mercenary! But the highlight is of course Andrea Riseborough (Seen here in Margaret Thatcher guise in “The road to Finchley”). Yes, even Maggie can look this good. Check out the clip for some on-set yadda from Andrea.

Andrea Riseborough talks "The Devil's Whore"

It's strange how you stumble across things on the net via a few clicks of the mouse. What started out as a search for one thing ended up with Honey Wilde. A top routine with some angry shedding of the kit! I particularly like the picking up of the Percy at the start, then putting it down. Oh, it kills me! Remember to scroll down to the video with the 'Oakwood Social Club' in the background...

http://www.myspace.com/honey_wilde