Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (18th November)

After a short adjournment from the Mrs Mackerel mantle, it’s back to business this week with a blast from the musical past.

Anyone Can Play Guitar had a one-off showing at my beloved Phoenix Picturehouse in Oxford this week. It’s always a pleasure to go the Phoenix and I have to admit, I didn’t really know what I was going to see other than a film about the Oxford music scene featuring Radiohead.

I didn’t realise that one of my oldest and bestest friends played a large featuring role, or that it would quite be such a poignant musical youth trip for me. Right from my very first trip to Oxford when I was but sweet sixteen, from first gigs seeing Arcane Dawn and Satan Knew My Father, to watching Radiohead play as On a Friday at Oxford Poly. What a lot of memories. And what a lot I didn’t know: such as the curse that stuck to the Candyskins like velcro and the rise and (rather sudden) fall of Dustball. (That’s what happens when you start having babies, listen to the Wheels on the Bus one too many times, and don’t leave the house for what feels like seven years.)

Remembering the Jericho Tavern and the hours (maybe even days…) spent in the New Inn. Ho hum. Giving MM some context to the over-worn Mrs M phrase, “Satan didn’t know her father, he was her father”. Great to see Ronan get some recognition at long last, shame he never made a bean from all his endeavours. Nevertheless, it was a very special film for me, so thank you Jon Spira.

Here comes the weekend…!

Mrs Mackerel

All songs this week are dedicated to Craig Allnut, who very sadly passed away last week. The man with the very best laugh I ever did hear. Sleep tight, Craig. (See his Facebook page here).

Visit Ronan’s guide to music in Oxford via Nightshift here. Buy Anyone Can Play Guitar on DVD here.

Download The Candyskins – Car Crash mp3

Download Swervedriver – Girl On A Motorbike mp3

Download Talulah Gosh – Bringing Up Baby mp3

Download The Anyways – Wish Away mp3

Download The Mystics – See You mp3

Download Dustball – Yeah? mp3

Download Death By Crimpers – Obsessive mp3

Download Beaker – Sally Said mp3

Download On A Friday – Keep Strong mp3

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