One of my fondest memories is going to see a gig by Queen at Ingliston in Edinburgh in 1982. But before anyone reports me to the bad-taste cops, I need to say that I went along purely to see the support act – The Teardrop Explodes.
Whoever came up with that line-up certainly had a fantastic sense of humour. Julian Cope came on to a barrage of abuse and taunted the crowd like I’ve never seen before or since. The band (which was more or less session musicians by this point) played a stormer. Julian would say things like…‘Here’s the one of mine that I’m sure you all know and love’ before launching into an obscure b-side with French lyrics. Magnifique.
Julian once, somehow, got on to Top of the Pops in the early 1990s to promote a single – I think it was ‘I Gotta Walk’. It was during the time the show sort of went out live at 7pm on a Thursday night. After 3 minutes of complete nonsense – barefoot, wearing some sort of sackcloth smock and performing his vocals live, Julian brought his performance to an end with a yell. The presenter was Mike Smith, and he looked right into the camera and said….’I know what you’re all thinking….but you’re wrong.’ The Breakfast DJ went up in my estimation right there and then.
Julian Cope has written two volumes of the best autobiogaphies in the music business – ‘Head-On’ and ‘Repossessed’.
He’s also got a magnificent back catalogue of music – not all of it the easiest of listening it has to be admitted. It’s probably best to check out the singles collection ‘Floored Genius’ which covers his stuff with The Teardrop Explodes and his solo output.
There’s loads that I wanted to post, but I’ve made do with one of the tracks from his ‘Head EP’ which came out in 1991. Let the great man’s own words tell you what’s coming…
‘A Ken doll from Miami leaves his home and flies to England…looking for Feeling-Groovy Barbie. He hears of the Happy Mondays and, being a U.S. college student, digs the whole loose scene. N.B. The backing vocalists are singing names of old ’60s Barbie outfits.’
Priceless
Bagged-Out Ken – Julian Cope (mp3)
THERE WERE FOUR COMMENTS LEFT FOR THIS POST
Jacques The Kipper said…
It’s possibly worth mentioning if it isn’t obvious that Julian has, or certainly had, a huge collection of Barbies.
Also, my great uncle, Fish, ex-of 80s prog-ish rockers Marillion used to idolise him.
No mention of Courtney Love ? I suppose interested folk should buy the autobiographies…..
Crash Calloway said…
My first gig was the Milton Keynes Bowl leg of this tour, which was filmed and I saw a bit of the other night when C4 repeated their ‘hundred greatest albums’ thing. Good stuff!
Neil B said… (and this arrived five months after the post was put up.
The presenter of TOTP when Julian did “I Gotta Walk” was Simon Mayo not Mike Smith.
JC said...
Neil
I stand corrected. My only excuse – and it’s a poor one – is that one breakfast DJ looks and sounds much the same as another. But it was careless on my part. Thank You.
I’m just astonished that some folk are reading this far back in the blog.