Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Suggs Edition

Today let’s pay tribute to the lead singer for one of the most successful bands in British history, Madness. Graham “Suggs” McPherson may not be the rangiest singer, but he was perfect for both the early ska hits that put Madness on the map, and their later forays into classic Brit pop. He was a subtle sly wit in the middle of the chaos some of his bandmates created. He even had a pretty decent solo career when Madness first split, but the band is back in action, having released one of their best albums just two years ago. One more thing – he always came across has approachable yet cool in all of the band’s great videos. So in honor of the lead Nutty Boy, grab your iPod or MP3 player, hit shuffle, and share the first 10 songs that come up.

1. Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club — Video Killed The Radio Star (English Garden): Woolley co-wrote this tune which went on to become a hit for The Buggles. Woolley did a less twee and somewhat more rock version of the tune on his only record. The English Garden album is a terrific synth-rock album, which features some keyboard backing from a yet-to-be-famous Thomas Dolby.
2. The Plod — Neo City (Velvet Tinmine): What a name for this glam band that didn’t make it. This comes from a compilation of British glam rock obscurities. Unlike some, it’s not as obviously derivative of any one artist, but it’s a decent riff rocker with an appropriately high voiced singer. Gussy this up, and it could be a decent tune from The Darkness.
3. Human League — Crow And A Baby (Travelogue): The second Human League album is fairly hooky, but the music is much more gloomy and downcast. This is before two members split to form Heaven 17. Phil Oakey’s baritone is well suited for this dramatic song. It’s hard listening to these dour lyrics and imagining that two years later, the League would have one of the biggest pop hits of the decade.
4. Hepcat — Pharoah’s Dreams (Right On Time): This is an old school styled ska tune from a terrific L.A. band. One of the members went on to play the blind guy on the Ted Danson sitcom Becker. Hepcat really goes back to the basics of ska, both in the smooth jazz inflected playing and the R & B underpinnings of the sound. This is a swell instrumental.
5. Walter Clevenger & The Dairy Kings — My Places (Love Songs To Myself): A great tune from the second album from this roots rocker from Orange County. Clevenger and his swell band play songs that touch on pub rock, pop, and even a bit of country and power pop. He is often compared to Nick Lowe, but would also appeal to fans of NRBQ, The Del Lords, and many other bands who build catchy songs with clever lyrics out of building blocks from the ’50s and ’60s. To top it off, he has a nice rough and ready voice that is perfect for his material. Wish he made more records.
6. Pulp — Seductive Barry (This Is Hardcore): On the heels of the band’s U.K. smash A Different Class, Jarvis Cocker and company could have coasted and done A Different Class 2. Instead, the band upped the ante, with songs that were more dramatic and more decadent. Cocker’s extreme tunefulness kept this from going too far over the top. This is a long moody number that is solid but not one of the best numbers on a pretty good album.
7. AC/DC — Shot Down In Flames (Highway To Hell): This isn’t one of AC/DC’s mega classics, but it has all the hallmarks of their best. A great riff, Phil Rudd’s in the pocket drumming, Bon Scott’s sleazy voice, a good chorus and a wicked solo by Angus Young. One thing about AC/DC is that unlike a lot of blues based heavy metal acts, their music really swung (instead of plodding) a tribute to their excellent rhythm section.
8. Hoodoo Gurus — (Let’s All) Turn On (Stoneage Romeos): This spunky piece of frat rock from this classic debut is just a chance for Doug Faulkner to name check some of his faves. The Hoodoo Gurus first album is such a perfect mix of garage rock, power pop and a love of junk culture that although they did other fine work, they could never replicated the excellence of this effort.
9. Utopia — Set Me Free (Anthology 1974-85): This was a minor top 40 hit for Utopia. Although Todd Rundgren obviously was the dominant force in the band, once they settled on their ultimate membership, Kasim Sulton became more prominent. He does a nice vocal on this track, and it’s a solid slice of R & B inflected pop.
10. Gorillaz — Feel Good, Inc. (Demon Days): I remember when there were serious arguments about who was more artistically accomplished, Damon Albairn or Noel Gallagher. Not to knock Noel, but Damon has obviously won that battle. Not just the way Blur kept exploring until its final days, but Albairn creating a second hit group. This is probably the best known Gorillaz track, mixed an insinuating rhythm with aspects of both hip hop and Albairn’s Brit pop melodicism.