van mascots and World of Twist

our van mascot
Originally uploaded by rockmother.

Been very busy trying to get ahead in the world of documentary lately. Things are going well although all will be revealed next week as I find out shortly whether I am going to get one of my ideas on telly by Sept or not. I’m not saying or thinking about it anymore in case I tempt a rubbish dump of unwanted fate at the end of the telephone sometime soon. It is an interesting project and involves another blogger…..

Anyway, this is our van mascot – he sits on the dash and stops us from crashing and helps us find good parking spaces. My son calls him Banana Head but he is only four so he’s allowed. I put the picture up because I like it.

Anyone remember World Of Twist? A fabulous band – they were hailed as the Roxy Music of the Nineties but disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Such a shame. Quality Street was a brilliant album but one which unfortunately hailed the beginning of their demise. For a start it was produced by The Grid who recorded it at half volume. I always wondered why I had to turn it up to at least 40 to hear it. They were doing copious amounts of coke and E in the studio and smoking skunk for breakfast which apparently according to ex-singer Tony Ogden meant that they had a few problems communicating with each other. That struck a chord with me as years ago I used to work for a company called Music Box making er…music programmes. We used to have an indie show and would bus around the country each week interviewing bands. We went to Manchester to interview the band when they were recording Quality Street and I remember thinking what hard work and how incommunicative they all were. Now I know why!! It then went from bad to worse – the reviews were undeservedly terrible mainly due to the fact it was recorded quietly – music journo’s you should all be ashamed of your whinging selves for that! The band folded and Tony Ogden spent the next few years on smack watching third reich war films (because the good guys won – make of that what you will – he said it not me). He has been glimpsed now and again around Manchester and has just released a 4 track demo from his new band Bubblegum. I bet it’s brilliant.