Burly Q Special

So another week has passed in the world of Den, Den’s been busy with the first Burly Q so it’s all about what went down on Gibraltar Street last night- sides, slides & sisters!




This one is the berries- I can’t get my teeth in quick enough to rant at how superior this version is to the (s)hit version by Herman’s Hermits. Den snagged this one this week through meeting a spiv in a dark alley who had hot circles stitched into the lining of his coat. I tell yeah, it’s tough finding vinyl in this city….



The Rays- Silhouettes

I tell you what peeps, Bo Diddley is a man after Den’s heart. Anybody who constantly name checks their self so shamelessly deserves a doff of Den’s cap, not that Den actually has a cap- he hasn’t got the head for it.

Bo Diddley- Hey Bo Diddley

Den’s rarely lost for words…but yowza…more black market black circles…! Forget Dean Parrish, forget Billie Davis- step up The Exciters…it’s blowing up my mind…

The Exciters- Tell him

Den’s head was fried when he watched this nutzoid flick- “Hellzapoppin” but declares that you all need to tune in your peepers to this deranged lindyhop routine. Dig that crazee chef!

Hellzapoppin lindyhop

Den was in a right old flap with all the work that needed to be done last night but got a welcome breather with a dash of “Gentlemen’s relish” from Lottie L’ Etoile. Never has a demure, classy, sweet patootie look so swell dressed as a feller in top hot and best bib and tucker! Extra points from Den were awarded for Lottie's ability to erect a tent, Den admires a women who's good under canvas! Become her friend and if you’re in the locale buy a ticket for her show. You just may see Den at the front!

Lottie L' Etoile's fan page

Event!

Den's Chicken Shack Feeding Frenzy

Den’s been out in his hot rod again- this time down Derbyshire & Nottingham. He stopped off at the copacetic 50’s chrome sided diner near Swadlincote and would recommend you do to and has also been snarfing chicken, hence some of his picks on this bumper week. So tracks, flicks and a Kiss style face painted Des O' Connor..it's all here in Den's chicken shack feeding frenzy.

This one had been lurking in the dusty old vaults since last year until Den cast his peepers over it t’other week. An early 60’s side with a smidgin’ of rock ‘n’ roll thrown in flips the wig every time…this is one hot circle.

Bobby Comstock & The Counts- Chicken back

Den has been scratching his noggin' as to why he ain't tuned in his cab doors to Cab Calloway earlier. Up until recently all there was in the shell of Mr. Iniquity was his turn in The Blues Brothers. Anyway, "A chicken ain't nothin' but a bird' features the classic line "Some people call it a foul" That one made me choke on my Sailor Jerry...All together now- "Chicken, nice fried chicken". Just don't give in an head to the grease hole that is KFC...cast the net wider!

Cab Calloway- A chicken ain't nothin' but a bird

Apparently these gals started out as a troupe of about a dozen Vernon’s pools singing dollies but were wittled down to three by 1964 when they were struggling to find their identity. This is a cover of US soul track but I’m lost as to who did the original- but who cares! It moves, it shakes and it ain’t a maraca.

The Vernons Girls- Do the bird

Whilst it may suffer from overkill when it appears to be on constantly on the Paramout Channel Den has a soft spot for Scrubs, particularly Sarah Chalke (previously of Rosanne) and in this episode, Stephanie D' Abruzzo from Avenue Q. All good stuff if you're a fan of musicals and easy on the eye for those of you who loathe them...Take it away, gang.

Stephanie D' Abruzzo- Scrubs Musical Episode

This week we have a break from all the bumpin and twirling and have ukulele playing Des O’ Connor...I saw him at Volupte last Summer and the Women's Institute Brigade who were on almost choked on their scones when he did the song about necrophelia. Well, it made me laugh…Anyway, this is one for those of you with a delicate constitution, particularly those who may be nursing the thirsty dog today following Saturday's excesses.

Des O' Conner- Cheap shite white wine

From Manchester With Love

Den is fresh from a jaunt over the Penines to Manchester where he snagged sides, snarfed sinkers and quaffed the local ale; He’d highly recommend it. There is a selection of his haul from , the fantastic Carice Van Hauren and a return for Trixie Little & The Evil Hate Monkey. Den couldn't help sharing this snap from a previous jaunt to the capital, what with his Twin Peaks obsession at the moment....you can almost taste 'em!

How could Den resist his outstretched donut snatcher at snaggin this slice of premium vinyl on the Bang label. What a title! It does exactly what you'd expect it to with a title like that. The cover is a European picture sleeve culled from rate your music...

The Angels- Wow Wow Wee (He's the boy for me)

Another tune snagged was this jazzy tune with a killer bass player spanking the plank throughout. A tasty promo label too!

Tommy "Deanie Boy" Dean- The Gold Coast

More good girl group stuff from Red Bird, Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry. It made Den's head hurt when he mulled over which side to plump for as both are cracking lacquer crackers, but ulitmately plumped with the A-side of their debut single...they only went on to make one more single and then splitsville...

The Butterflys- Good night baby

Den’s fed his peepers with a few WW2 flicks of late and Carice Van Houten has been in both. She switches the barnet from blonde to brunette but remains stunning, coming up trumps in both Black Book & Valkyrie. She is one fine twist with perfect headlights! Black Book is the one to check out...One for you fact fans, Carice is using the same horn as what is in Chez Den!

Black Book Trailer

And finally...A first for Den…the same act two weeks on the bounce…What more booshwash can I come up with about Trixie Little & The Evil Hate Monkey? They blow my wig and they’ll sure blow yours.



Volcano Dance

The big sound of the century

Den brings you a mixed-bag this week with some doo-wop, girl group & blue-eyed soul; alongside more Twin Peaks & the fantastic Trixie Little & The Evil Hate Monkey…So tune in your ear-trumpets and give your peepers a treat with Den…


Den seems to remember hearing this on a film soundtrack a few years ago, it could have been “After Hours”…Anyway, this brings thoughts of sitting at a bar stool nursing some giggle water after been bumped off with some wooden nickels by some bear cat. A copasetic, grand, soaring doo-wop tune that blows away any blues that may linger. This one does it for Den every time. What more can you say when the label declares "The Big Sound Of The Century". Take it away, Leon...

The Blue Jays- Lover's Island



Den has only just tuned his ear trumpet into this late sixties girl group side from 1969. It’s a sweet, organ-led tune with a fine back beat from the skin-beater. It has a fine cover as well with The Goodees chomping down on over-sized lollipops. Den needs to get his deerstalker and pipe out and try to track this slab of premium vinyl down… Warning though cats & kittens the lyrics may be smuttier than first thought after one or two listens! If Den was forced at gun point to pick his favourite "Goodee" he'd go with the second one (hidden inside the 'O'), although, she is about the only one who you can fully see her coupon...

The Goodees- Double shot of my baby's love

In the world of Den you can never have too much Tom Jones. The album “Along Came Jones” has been sat snuggly on the shelf for a good few years without too many plays and Den was drawn to this expecting a pumped-up soul version of the Merseybeat staple but instead found this Gordon Mills penned beat-ballad monster after seeing Tom on Jonathan Ross the other week. Raid those charity shops while you can to get your biscuit-snatchers on any Tom vinyl you can find (I’d say 1971 is a good cut off point for the end of the classic era). You can always rely on a good cover from Tom and this is no exception with TJ sporting a fine red shirt...

Tom Jones- Some other guy

Den has just reached the end of his Twin Peaks marathon (“Fire walk with me” withstanding) and feels a little emotional that the ride is over! He had to post a video and was spoilt for choice but plumped for the black lodge. Den goes crazy for the flooring in there…very nice! I bet you can’t get that in B & Q. Whilst you’ve got the trolley check out this blog…

The Black Lodge


And finally a male-female duo for the first time in Den’s world- Trixie Little & The Evil Hate Monkey. Den is oozing with praise for these two from Trixie’s barnet to the monkey’s crazy Prince Charles-like ears. This is a fantastic twist on the standard fan-dance and the second clip is sheer genius. It boils your ham bone so to speak…Anyway, load up your rockets with glue, until the next-time I’ll be seeing you!


Trixie Little & The Evil Hate Monkey Fan Dance

Pastie Glue Ad

Talc, Typewriters and Tassles

It's been a long week in Densville but you don't wanna hear my gripes...There's an extra stomper for you in the music section, a great Maggie Vs. Macca 'mash up' (remember them?!) and the world famous Pontani Sisters...






Den had just shaved for the first time when a tape of this behometh 60 track double “Costly Disc” was slipped to him. He began to gorge himself on blue eyed soul & Motown wannabees to escape the misery of being 17.

Den’s been digging Duke & Leonard this week since his brother, Len Iniquity, brought it up last week during chow down time. I guess these two are going for a Sam & Dave but they don’t quite make it…s’marvelous all the same. “Little” Carl Carlton went on to be a bit of dirty ol’ bastard when he went past 9 years old (as he is on this one) cutting the likes of “She’s a bad mama jama (she’s built she’s stacked)" but give me this every time it puts ants in my pants and makes me come over all unnecessary. To top it off it’s on the fantastically named Lando records and is the only one of this bunch that I’ve reeled in. Linda Carr is a Motown style rip off that flips Den’s wig…can you imagine Diana Ross attempting to this one…she’d snap in half! And finally the bizarrely named “Tojo”…no not “Toto”…Tojo…he/she (I ain’t so sure) sounds like some kind kinky foot job. These are just 4 of the 60 tracks on this…I don’t know if it’s still available but hey, the search is part of the fun.

Yup, that is Den's famous hands along with the top of his hat holder...and here is a tasty scan of the Lando label.

Duke & Leonard- Just do the best you can

Little Carl Carlton- Don't you need a boy like me

Linda Carr- In my life

Tojo- Broken hearted lover

Den almost chocked on his suds when he discovered this as he looked for stuff around the great film “Secretary” which was showing in Den’s digs on Thursday night. Den hadn’t cast his beady one on this since ’02 when he saw at the picture palace and he needs his head reading for waiting 7 years to watch it again. Not only have we got the dream boat Maggie Gyllenhall we also have the hep cat that is James Spader playing an uptight sadist. And if it can’t get any better some goofball has set it to a bizarre half-baked synth led Macca track from 1980! Oh, this gave me the giggles…

Secretary/Temporary Secretary

Just as last time, Den has seen this lot up close…this time in the big apple back in August. Phew, Den was in a pickle as to whether he went for the cute as a button Angie; the hot tapper, Helen; or the fantastically tattooed Peekaboo Pointe (who I believe is on loan whilst the other Pontani rears her ankle-biter). Well, after many overdraft busting cocktails Den managed to steady his lens and snap these three tomatoes during a rat pack themed routine…Den couldn’t decide which to single out for his attention so he’s going with all three…yee-ha! Peekaboo is nudging it for Den at the mo as he will forever have the memory of being at the business end of Peekaboo's routine to "Nobody does it better".

There is a strange lack of videos out there so you’ll have to make do with snaps. You can get a great DVD of go-go dancing "Go-Go robics" featuring the original 3 which is a great watch even if you move like a Grandad navigating an icy pavement.

Angie Pontani

Helen Pontani

Peekaboo Pointe

TTFN but Den will be back in two shakes of a lamb's arse

Stop! and you will become aware

Normal service is resumed after my mid-week edition. This is visit 4 to Chez Den. A little bit of a mixed bag this week but this is what is toasting Den's buns this arctic Saturday.

This one gives makes Den think of The Walker Brothers and that ain’t a bad thing, baby…This may have been recorded by Little Anthony & The Imperials but I ain’t sure…it’s the only lacquer cracker I’ve got on a fantastic pea-green NEMS label and the only record i've heard by Cupid's Inspiration. It’s top drawer pop that floats Den’s boat right up the River Don...they don't make 'em like this anymore

Cupid's Inspiration- Yesterday has gone

Den can be remember being knee-high to a grasshopper and tuning in to watch Granada TV’s flop soap “Albion Market” and Den Snr telling him that one of the stall holders was Helen Shapiro, ex- pop star. Zip forward 10 years and Den’s eyes are opened to this one, though he’s told by one of his dealers that he’d have to sell his Grandma to get his biscuit snatchers on a copy. The elusive search for this perfect slab of teen blue eyed soul continues…but that’s what gets Den out of his pit in the am….

This one is on the flip of The Miracles cover “Shop around” but also features on the CD British Soul Vol 2…but I couldn’t resist showing you the cover of the album “Helen hit’s out” it's where it's at, kittens…

Helen Shapiro- He knows how to love me

“So sticky, and gooey, and salty”…Buttered Popcorn as sung by Florence Ballard, the real lead singer of The Supremes before that wafer-thin voiced, twiglet Diane Ross started doing the shimmy shake with Berry Gordy (yup, the Diana moniker was to sound ‘classy’!)…Florence sings that her other half is more interested in eating buttered popcorn than her…jeez, what a hammer head! Anyway, kick back and think what could have been…

The Supremes- Buttered Popcorn

“I feel like something incredible is going to happen here….” Yup, Scorsese’s best, most enjoyable film gets Den’s juices flowing…I hadn’t watched this for a while but digging Patricia led me back to her older Sis Rosanna and her great turn in this flick that’s near perfect. You’d certainly chase half way across Soho in the rain to get your hands on a bagel and cream cheese paperweight wouldn’t you? It’s got a great soundtrack but I’ve yet to find a copy…maybe you can…watch the trailer and some deleted scenes…Griffin Dunne’s the berries!

After Hours Trailer

After Hours Out-takes

Now Den has laid his peepers on this one, it was back in July at Volupte and he’s got the Diva Dollars to prove it! (yes that is one of the ubiqutous Den Iniquity chip shovels in shot) The fan dance with the fairy lights almost made me choke on finger sandwich…fantastic stuff! And I'll give Diva Hollywood the highest complement a Den can give to a dame...She's got a great face!

Diva Hollywood- Starlight

Diva seems to have a lack of vids out there so you'll have to take Den's words for the images scorched on his retinas that she really is the monkey's waistcoat!

Hump day

For my first mid-week visit to the den I’ve gone girl crazy…so Den being Den he’s on first name terms with these ladies…Noreen, Mary, Chelsea, Jeanette, Barbara, Patricia & Marianne. Kick back with these extras to feed your Ipod and please yo peepers...more news at the weekend.

This one made the steam come out the top of my head the first time I heard it…phew! What do I know about her…absolutely zip but when you’ve got a load of bopdebopdebops, a xylophone buried under a wall of sound, a name like Noreen and an invitation to run your fingers through her fur what can you say other than; Ms Cococoran you could out-whistle Whistler’s Mother…

Noreen Cocoran- Love Kitten

I really thought this LP may be a pile of old rope…I knew “Baby that’s me” but this knocks the spots off that one. The LP is great…even the covers of the 60s pop & R ‘n’ B standards stand up pretty well. I’m a little confused as to what the other slices of The Cake are up to for the majority of this track as it sounds like a solo performance right up to the last twenty seconds…Anyway, this will pull you dead to the curb. Wang it on and settle down with a cup of Den’s current favourite pick up after a night on the giggle juice…a nice steaming cup of Twinings 1706 strong blend…it gets Den through his lousy day gig…

The Cake- World of dreams

Again, the indecisive reluctant side of Den poo-pahed this one when he first heard that Mary Weiss had recorded an album…but through Shangri-la submersion therapy in Spring 2008 he realized that this was the next stage in his girl group rehab…Well I laid out my cash for this and have been giving it heavy spins ever since…Den is hot for buying more booty from the great Norton Records when his chump change arrives from his 9-5. Anyway, what more can I say, it’s got guts and it don’t make you slobber…dig it people!

Mary Weiss- Don't come back

Den’s been kicking back and watching more David Lynch eye-ball pleasers on the one-eyed lodger; last night he settled down for “Lost Highway”. Patricia Arquette as a fierce, moody, intense, brunette with the sharpest fringe this side of Betty P alongside a second helping of Patricia as an ice cream haired, promiscuous, devious, porn star, gangsters moll…if only they were two people (Lynch says it’s the same person!) Den could dream up mathematical possibilities that would make a rocket scientists head hurt! So, then the age old question…blonde vs brunette…which one is the cat’s whiskers?

Patricia Arquette- Lost Highway blonde

Patricia Arquette- Lost Highway brunette

So Den is lost for words now he’s at the end of his extra edition…Den discovered Marianne Cheesecake during his scouting work, he aint seen her up close yet but being a master baker (banana bread for the inner circle this week!) like Marianne in this bizarre juice/ baking routine he can empathize with her artistic goals. Although he could have done without the audience member goofing around at the end, Cheesecake is still a frickin’ hoot- she shakes it, she fan’s it, she laughs at herself, she dresses like a geezer; She's got what it takes- she don't take herself too seriously, what more could you ask for

Marianne Cheesecake- Baking time!

Marianne Cheesecake- Fan dance