Listen: You Are My Sister (Edit) / Antony & The Johnsons
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Vicki Wickham had shopped me an Antony & The Johnsons package while still at Columbia. This must have been ’04. To be honest, I don’t even recall what my first thoughts and reactions were. Well except for one, the voice was other worldly. Without skimming any of clippings or info, I wasn’t even sure if Antony was a guy. Anthony is one name, Antony is another and not quite so established. I was curious.

But Vicki had included a video clip as well, which immediately sealed Antony Hegarty’s future potential at the label. No way. Wouldn’t do this fellow such an injustice as bringing him to an intentionally mainstream environment, even if I’d had the power, which I didn’t. Columbia just wasn’t set up for left field art. Not that I had the insight or talent to help him with his work either.

As it turned out, Rough Trade became a perfect label partner. Well done Geoff Travis.

Quite unexpectedly, ‘You Are My Sister’ was one of the first records I heard on an early ’05 trip to London. Yes, Radio 1 played this midday and it caught me quite off guard. At that very moment, I was unaware of the single’s release. Only in England would you get the mainstream national pop station playing such music, regardless of the obvious controversial possibilities associated with the artist’s lifestyle. Actually, I think they celebrate themselves ever so slightly for such defiant bravery.

As on record, Boy George duetted with them for their Jonathan Ross Show appearance. Where else could such a TV moment push the single higher up the chart? Well, maybe in France it could too.

Listen: Good Morning / Sparks SparksGoodMorning.mp3

There’s so much I could say about Sparks. It would take volumes.

To put it all in a nutshell, they are basically a higher form of life. Been a fan since the beginning, followed them around the east coast when KIMONO MY HOUSE was current. Corinne loved them before me – so I got hooked. Been loyal ever since, and why not, they have never disappointed. In May of this year, they played all 20 of their albums, in full, over a 20 night run in London. I was unlucky enough to miss eighteen of them, but very lucky to see two, KIMONO MY HOUSE and PROPAGANDA. This all led up to playing the newest release, EXOTIC CREATURES OF THE DEEP in it’s entirety on the 21st night. By shear coincidence, I was in London with Matt & Kim at the time, and stayed a few days extra to catch those two shows. The current single ‘Good Morning’ was being played all over the English stations. How very civilized. I even awoke in the middle of the night and heard it on the clock radio I’d fallen asleep to bedside. As always, the lyrics are tremendous.

It’s absolutely my favorite single of the year. This version is a rule breaker for me, given it’s not on vinyl like every other record on the blog. For Sparks, I’m making an exception.

The above audio originates from the first UK radio spin ‘Good Morning’ received, via the Jonathan Ross Show, broadcast 5/10/08. It’s worth hearing for the intro and outro banter. Great stuff.