“I’m putting out a double album called Crowns on the 10th of August. I’ve always wanted to make an over the top, flabby round the middle, divisive record, so I did. The songs below all had something to do with its gestation. Most of them are good, a few of them are pretty bad, but they all contributed. Which is the main thing I guess.” – Mark Chester, Ginnels.
Feelies – Let’s Go
I’ve ripped this band off more times than is acceptable. This is off their second album ‘The Good Earth’, but I could have picked almost anything by them, except their cover of ‘Paint it Black’. Which is shit.
Psychedelic Horseshit – Endless Fascination
Bobby from No Monster Club played me a load of this stuff claiming it sounds like Ginnels. I don’t reckon it does, but it’s definitely good. I get the feeling that they’re bad people however.
Magnetic Fields – I Don’t Want To Get Over You
‘69 Love Songs’ had to be some kind of touchstone to anyone making a bloated, overlong mishmash of an album. Obviously, Steven Merritt spends most of the 69 tracks with his eyebrows arched and, impressively for a man who is practically a midget, looking down on everyone. Despite that, it’s full of wonderful pop songs like this.
Maher Shalal Hash Baz – Open Field
Japanese No Fi lads, Silver Jews covered this, but I consider them a joke band so I’ve included the original. Don’t DJ this in No Disko, you’ll get told to ‘keep it indie’ and then kicked out.
The Clash – Charlie Don’t Surf
‘Sandinista’ is an example to anyone of the dangers of fame, coke and being white and into hiphop. I’ve never managed to listen to the whole thing in one go yet it remains one of my favourite albums. ‘Charlie Don’t Surf’ is about as acceptable as it gets.
Mercury Rev – Bronx Cheer
Before Mercury Rev were the face of Q magazine in the late 90’s they did noisy psychedelic stuff like this. It’s much better. I think they were on drugs.
Dry Ice – Mary is Alone
This is a terrible song by a terrible band that never released anything. Despite these facts, it got played in my gaff every day for about two years. I think they’re from the 60’s. I know it was recorded by a moron.
Ginnels launch Crowns tonight in the Little Green Street Gallery, with support from Fuck Mountain and Skelocrats. €10 gets you in with a copy of the double-cassette, it’s BYOB and doors are at 8pm. You can also stream Crowns now over on Nialler9.
