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The Public Image Is Rotten…

“It’s funny seeing your own fat lumpy face 6 foot wide on a cinema screen….”

I went to see the new Public Image Limited documentary ‘The Public Image Is Rotten’ last night at the Odeon with my good friend and musical collaborator Andy Trussler (Rogue Sector). It was an interesting evening. As usual, the trains in and out of London on the Thameslink have gone to pot so I decided to drive up (20 miles) which was dead easy given it was a quiet Sunday evening. Plenty of parking to be had a short walk away from the venue.

Screen 3 was fairly small, cosy I guess, and I was given a complimentary VIP seat (which is just what a normal cinema seat should be like when in actual fact all the standard seats are too small). The documentary itself is a very good chronological account of the entire PiL history from  it’s inception up to the present day and there are some interesting characters interviewed in it.

Of course, I’m in it for a bit when the film moves on to the New York segment and I am very pleased to say I wasn’t made to look a big chump in the editing suite. It’s bizarre seeing yourself up on a big screen like that, a 6 foot wide head is not a good look for anyone! It was good to see my old mate Martin Atkins on screen, he was very funny and I miss him.

There were a few people I knew in the audience which was nice. There was also one or two people there who I didn’t really want to see and I even  had a bit of a confrontation with one of them but it soon settled down. The film was a tad too long I felt, could have done with shaving off a few minutes. It was good to see they had also used some of my personal photos from that era.

John Lydon held a short Q & A after the film but I couldn’t face listening to him spout on about the same old shit so I left. His wife Nora was there so it was a shame I didn’t get to say hello to her. She was great fun back in the 80’s when we were all living in NYC, a lovely lady, though I have no idea what she saw in John!!

Rotten Indeed
The Public Image Is Rotten

I will be seeing PiL perform at the 100 Club on the 20th June, that should be fun, to see how much of it I can stand!!

See ya next time!! PjJ

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Nice ‘n’ Sleazy 2018

“It’s a big punk party, similar to a wedding only more people wearing black.”

 

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy at Morecombe was the first Department S festival date this summer. It was competing with Strummercamp not many miles away but despite this, it was very well attended and good to see number of friendly faces there to support the bands. There was a danger of the venue running out of beer at one point, such was the raging thirst of the punk mob. Luckily, emergency supplies were sent for and all was well.

It was a bit of drive (4 hours) for such a short set but a promise of a bed for the night at our guitarist’s house made it worth the trip.

A great night all round, The UK Subs were on fire as usual and it was nice to see our vinyl on the merch stand getting noticed.

Photos ©Stephen Dunkley

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100 Club + Wreckless Eric

“That was a wonderful noise….“

The 100 Club is an iconic London venue that’s great place to play but not so much fun as a paying punter. The stage has seen some classic performances over the years and it was a pleasure to go there last night along with our lovely Department S drummer Alan Galaxy to see Eric Goulden perform his one man Wreckless Eric show. Just him and a guitar. It was a very powerful and engaging show; Eric has some great tales to tell and songs to match and the sound he got form his acoustic through a variety of effects was immense. ’twas a great night all round. I even bought his CD!

Of course, you can’t go to the 100 Club without bumping into someone you know and it was great bumping into the mighty Leigh Heggarty from Ruts DC and some old mates form years gone by that I hadn’t seen for a while. The only downside was getting home again thanks to Thameslink messing up the trains but standing up all the way back to Harpenden  was worth it. Go see Eric if you get the chance, its a refreshing change.

Now, its a quick cup of tea and back in the studio to work on my new solo album. Perhaps I should get the acoustic and Big Muff out to play with!!

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Great weekend

“Our host seemed a bit unhinged to me….”

We had a great 3 days residential studio  rehearsals  in deepest Leicestershire over the weekend. Fantastic place to play with a great host who cooked the breakfast, decent pub nearby for tea. Recommended for residential rehearsing and recording. Ross, the guvnor, is great.

http://www.thepaddocks studio

We managed to miss the royal wedding shenanigans thank god. Worked up three new Departments S songs ready to be unleashed on the public soon.

Phil had a problem with the hammock though:

video 403C2BA4-46D2-423E-B40C-A0CCF6E6C35F

 

 

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Department S rehearsals

We are having a rehearsal away day, well, an away three days actually.

We’ve been working hard over recent months writing new material. It has been proving difficult getting enough rehearsal time to knock the new songs into shape. So we have decided to lock ourselves away for three days at a residential rehearsal rooms in deepest Leicestershire. It’s near where they make the Melton Mowbray pork pie. Here we can make as much noise as we like 24 hours a day and nobody will hear the screams when the fighting breaks out.

Wish us luck! last man standing gets the beers in.

 

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New Site Launches

Yes, I’ve bitten the bullet and designed a new website for all news and stuff about me, Department S and any other project I’m working on. Let me know what you think.