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WILD BILLY CHILDISH & CTMF

The Guy Hamper Trio & Wild Billy Childish + CTMF

100 Yds Of Crash Barrier

    This fully-loaded twin-spin single offers two renditions of Billy's '100 Yds Of Crash Barrier', provided by two of the leading ensembles active on the current moronic music scene.

    Wild Billy Childish & CTMF

    Traces Of You

      This top 7 inch 45 contains two versions of 'Traces Of You', written and sung by Nurse Julie Hamper. One side being called a demo, the other not. The last word goes to Mister Childish; 'this 45 will almost certainly be much like the way we do things, and hopefully be in accord with the listeners expectations, (dependent on what it is that they expect)'.

      Wild Billy Childish & CTMF

      Love Comes In Spurts

        Wild Billy Childish has been recording and performing since the 1977 punk explosion. The Pop Rivets, Thee Milkshakes, The Headcoats and The Buff Medways are just a few musical outfits that Billy has been involved with part time. His day job is being an internationally exhibited artist and poet.

        CTMF (The Chatham Forts) was the first group name Billy came up with for a group whilst he was Head of Research for The Medway Military Research Group - investigating the Medway Fortifications (as well as being an Apprentice Stonemason at Chatham Dockyard, Kent, 1976). It wasn't until 2013 that Billy got around to utilising the name. CTMF features his wife Julie on bass/vocals and Wolf Howard on drums (both playing with Billy in previous incarnations over the years). Described by Billy as 'the epitome of modern: the sound of yesterday, tomorrow!', CTMF have released ten albums and over thirty singles/EPs.

        This four-track 7" EP includes four song versions recorded for broadcast on Marc Riley's show on BBC6 Music on the evening of 31st August 2022. Opening up with a take on Richard Hell's 'Love Comes In Spurts', (endorsed by Richard himself), followed by 'Failure Not Success', a track that showcases Billy at his poetic best. Both are alternative takes from February 2023's LP release 'Failure Not Success'. The tracks that follow are 'Petrol In A Cup', and 'Love Can Lose'.

        "This will be much like the way we do things, and hopefully it'll be in accord with your expectation, but not necessarily" (Billy Childish - July '19).

        TRACK LISTING

        Side A
        1. Love Comes In Spurts (alt)
        2. Failure Not Success (alt)
        Side B
        1. Petrol In Cup
        2. Love Can Lose

        Wild Billy Childish & CTMF

        Failure Not Success

          New studio album by Billy and CTMF! Featuring Billy at his song writing best! Includes covers of Richard Hell and Jimi Hendrix songs, along with a newly recorded version of ‘Bob Dylan’s Got a Lot to Answer For’! We asked Billy a few questions about this mighty fine album… Great album title! It will seem counter-intuitive to some but why do you favour failure over success? If the Pop Rivets (the first group I was in in 1977) had been “successful” in the formal sense, then it would have been a disaster - no learning about sound, growth, and independence. Luckily, we considered ourselves successful from the outset by doing what we wanted the way we wanted. We believed the hype of punk rock – do-it-yourself and lived it, unlike the “successful” leaders of the movement. I’ve always wanted small gigs where your open and exposed. The same with recording - excitement, mistakes, humour, and hopefully joy. The reason to become “successful” is to cut yourself from your origin and roots. In short, we'll decide what success is, not a critic, the world, or public opinion.

          The album opens with a cracking cover of Richard Hell’s ‘Love Comes in Spurts’. You’ve previously recorded this with Thee Headcoats on Brother Is Dead… But Fly Is Gone! from 1998. What made you want to revisit the song? Has Richard heard it? If so, what did he think? I forgot that we did it with Thee Headcoats. If I had that LP, I’d give it a listen. I do remember covering it live with The Pop Rivets in 1978. Richard said he liked it a lot and told his girlfriend he only wants my tunes at his funeral. I said, “not too soon I hope." He assured me he's well. We’re digging the instrumental track ‘Walk of the Sasquatch’. Is this track in honour of the North Kent Sasquatch Research Group? What do you know about that mysterious organization? The track is more about the pacific Northwest cousin of the English version (the Woodwose). The North Kent Sasquatch program has gone a little quite of late, but I believe they are still trying to get Cobham Woods - nearby across the river - to be designated as a reserve, though of course this poses some danger to the public during the spring breeding season. The album closes with a version of previous single ‘Bob Dylan’s Got a Lot to Answer For’. What would you say is the biggest thing Bob has to answer for? And what do you most admire him for? It’s a different take from than the 45 version. The single was recorded in full lockdown. What has Bob got to answer for? I guess a lot and nothing. It’s not his fault he is famous, it is the fans and enablers that should be strung up for turning poor little pop stars into demi-gods. He seems to be one of the few in the mainstream music industry, who has remained in charge of his own recordings, sounds, and writing. Besides writing a few very good songs, I also liked his pronouncement: “I made bad records on purpose.” Now that’s a great line - so maybe he deserves his Nobel prize after all. You have a couple of CTMF shows coming up at the Lexington in London in February. Given you have such a great hat collection, have you decided what stage gear you’ll be wearing yet? Billy’s “fashion box” will have to be investigated. I first got “into” fashion in thee Headcoats days. Thee Headcoatees started attracting members of the gay community to our gigs, that’s when I saw an opportunity to “go for the pink pound.” There was much excitement in the dressing room, pre-show, especially from Holly, to see “what fashion Billy might have in his bag this week.” Hats are of course top of all fashion requirements, and I’ll give my best thought and attention on the day.

          TRACK LISTING

          1. Love Comes In Spurts
          2. Failure Not Success
          3. Beneath The Flowers Serpents
          4. Walk Of The Sasquatch
          5. Hanging By A Tenuous Thread
          6. Fire
          7. The Old Long Bar
          8. Come Into My Life
          9. Skinwalker
          10. Becoming Unbecoming Me
          11. Moon Of The Popping Trees
          12. Bob Dylan’s Got A Lot To Answer For

          Wild Billy Childish & CTMF

          Where The Wild Purple Iris Grows

            New album from CTMF! On CD, digital and black vinyl LP! Billy Childish - Musician, poet, painter and writer shows no sign of slowing down. The last twelve months have seen him record a “career in a year” with The William Loveday Intention, battle off a debilitating COVID infection and revisit his punk roots with CTMF

            STAFF COMMENTS

            Barry says: The always prolific Childish returns for another storming LP of fuzzed-out punk and jilted rock and/or roll. Screaming guitars segue into jangling rhythmic sections, brilliantly epitomising the melodic duality of this hugely influential character.

            TRACK LISTING

            1 – Where The Wild Purple Iris Grows
            2 – Mystery Song
            3 – Ballad Of Hollis Brown
            4 – She Was Wearing Tangerine
            5 – Pluma Dorada
            6 – Come Into My Life
            7 – Train Kept A Rollin'
            8 – You Can't Capture Time (Slight Return)
            9 – You Say That You Love Me
            10 – Tunnel Of Love
            11 – Mouldy Fig
            12 – The Same Tree

            Wild Billy Childish & CTMF

            Last Punk Standing

              Like an Inexplicable Wheel' The strangest thing in life is time, not clocks but that there was a past and there will be a future apparently). Life seems to be an inexplicable wheel, and I thought there should be a pop song (or two) about that. 'Last Punk Standing' A more CTMF sounding track. This should really be called 'Who'll be the Last Punk Standing?' but it looked better as a shortened title. Again it's about time, and knowledge running out. When a generation passes there's no one left to explain the true nature of their experience. eg- those who fought in WW2 are all but gone and that's how we get the rise of the new right: we learn from history that we don't learn from history. Who'll be left to pass on the essence of what punk was about - home-made, please yourself music. PS - the character Roberta, is from a Leadbelly tune- I thought it nice to have her and Mark E. Smith in the same pop song (Mark was still with us when we recorded this number). Billy Childish – May 2019

              STAFF COMMENTS

              Barry says: There's no denying that Childish has had one of the most prolific and succesful careers in the rock and/or roll world thus far, and it doesn't look like he has any intention of slowing down. Clashing, snarling punk-rock attitude and most importantly, bloody good tunes.


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