Sunday 5 June 2016

Slowly but surely

I went to see Holly Golightly play the other night (May 12th, to be precise). I've been meaning to get to one of her gigs for years, so I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that it was great. That at least is the fuzzy impression that I'm left with. Over the course of the evening I had rather a lot to drink and can't really remember too much about it all. (I do remember Fabienne Delsol was in the crowd. Stood right next to me for a while actually. I affected a nonchalant attitude, she seemed unmoved.)

So, I can't remember stuff like which songs got played, but I do remember being particularly pleased at two or three of the choices. And, er, Slowly But Surely may have been one of them. It's probably my most recently acquired favourite track of hers - the LP version is just immaculate (the kind of thing that might have got into the Top Ten in the eighties maybe) but I prefer the demo version on the b side of On The Fire. Both are amazing.

Anyway, I didn't know it was a cover version until about two weeks ago. Here's the original. Yet another upset for my tending to prefer whichever version you hear first theory (I may scrap that theory). I like this better. The harmonica has a more yearning quality, the vocal more forlorn.



6 comments:

  1. You are on a roll Artog.

    btw who is Fabienne Delsol? I refuse to Google her, I presume she is a she.

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  2. I remember years ago you putting me on to the Delsols after you'd seen her/them play at the 100 Club.
    Holly Golightly came on stage with Rocket From The Crypt and sang a couple of numbers with them at The Forum many many moons ago - I can't remember the year, but it was when Speedo was still a big old unit.

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  3. She most definitely is a she. I've mentioned her before (there's a label if you scroll down), but in a nutshell: singer on same label as Holly Golightly, French, very good looking indeed.

    John - yes, I've just had a quick read of that. A good night out. I don't think she's done any gigs since then?

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  4. A propos of not this but thank you anyhow https://twitter.com/davyghost/status/779040848772263941

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    1. Davy! Apologies for delay in reply! I've been bingeing madly on sci fi (and even fantasy!) loads recently. Ursula Le Guin's death prompted me to finally read stuff other than A Wizard of Earthsea. So, if you haven't already, I recommend The Dispossessed. I went to see Blade Runner 2049 last week and reread Do Andoids Dream etc. afterwards and came to the conclusion that it's his best novel. Seeing lots of my brother at the mo and he lent me Poul Anderson's The Broken Sword - I can't believe I've never read it before, the language is done in an Anglo-Saxon stylee. It's dead good, you'll love it. And finally my (now standard) sci fi recommendation: Roadside Picnic by Arkady & Boris Strugatsky - genuinely eerie.

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    2. Oh, and Flowers for Algernon! Just read it today! I love that mouse!

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