PIGS Part 2! 1977-2011

Pigs flew once before and once again a pig flies over Battersea power station. And of course there are rumours flying around… well erm, like pigs I guess?

This of course marks the 35 years since Pink Floyd released their album Animals, which, has given them a great excuse to recreate the landmark iconic cover from their 1977 album.

The cover, by Storm Thorgeson’s company Hipnogsis , is more iconic than the album itself.

Animals lacks the beauty of 1975’s Wish You Were Here and is, more, a step towards the sound of The Wall, as it's more of a Waters album.

Inspired by Orwell’s Animal Farm, in which human beings are characterised as pigs, dogs and sheep.

It’s not awful but it never seems like a whole album, more an album of parts. But whilst the album may be unloved by many, the gorgeously odd image of a flying pig has become a symbol of the band.

These days, if you wanted to put a flying animal on your album cover, you’d just do it all in Photoshop and nobody would blink an eye.

However in 1977, Hipgnosis favoured “stripping in” the pig over a photo of the Power Station.

The band, however, insisted the pig had to fly for real.

So Hipgnosis built a forty-foot pig shaped zeppelin at great expense and launched it over Battersea Power Station.

After much pig related huffing and puffing, they did get some lovely pics of the Power Station in the sunlight.

11 photographers, eight men in the film crew plus a helicopter returned the next day. But as the zeppig reached the top of the towers, the wind got up and caused it to break free...

See, PIGS DO FLY!!

Sadly for our inflated hog friend a marksman had been employed with a telescopic rifle to gun to bring him down in case of accident,

        WAS THIS THE END FOR OUR CAPITOL   

                     SWINGIN’    SWINE!??

Luckily nobody had asked the marksman for a second day’s filming.

So the pig sailed away and disappeared into the clouds, the helicopter gave up chase after five minutes…

well it was the 70s after all.

The pig came in to land finding a more traditional residence that evening on a farm in Kent, where the farmer described the descent of a forty foot farm animal as “a bit unusual.” (god bless British farmers...)

The crew recovered and repaired the zapping, and finally got their photo on the third day.

But the band stepped in and announced they preferred the shots of the sky from day one, so the design team ended up stripping in the pig from day three and retouching the photograph anyway.

For me this is one of the best stories that sums up the money and madness in Seventies rock.

However, the original pig is no longer airworthy, so a new dirigipig had to be made for today’s hog launch.

Also; on the press release it said none of Floyd will be able to attend the event.” This, as we know, is because two are dead, and the rest are barely talking to one another.

Or are they?

Gossip from one of last weeks music industry bashes, when a well-connected friend of Nick Mason said the band have ''been in discussions'' about one last tour??

Of course they did manage to previously bury the hatchets and reunite for Live 8 in 2005, and, though they insisted it was a never-to-be-repeated charitable one-off, and David Gilmour looked like he had had a better time with tooth ache… there has been some indication of mutual respect between David Gilmour and Roger Waters, who usually never have a kind word for the other did guest appearance at each other's shows last year.

As for the underrated Nick Mason, I believe he has always been up for it!!

But of course Rick Wright has shuffled off to the great pig in the sky, along with maverick Syd Barrett.

So will it happen?

EMI are releasing ALL the albums AGAIN!!... and this littlle stunt is tied into this.

We may not say it, but I'm sure many of us are thinking it?....

Well, pigs have flown … haven't they. ;)

Taking It To Another Level(ler)...

(art by Giddy!)

One of the most underrated, unheralded bands of the UK has to be the folk-punk rockers known as the Levellers.

There seems to be a slight undercurrent of embarrassment to people admitting they liked this band, which dissipates once they have seen the band play live.

I have been following this band since I was twelve; through my early to mid teens I would follow them up and down the country, and got involved with the socialist and green movement issues that the band spoke out about: The Criminal Justice Act, which would have taken away any youth freedom, hunt sabotage, anti-animal circus protest, and of course the freedom to travel, and be who you want to be - enjoying the green and pleasant land that our country hosts.

Taking their name from the rebels of the time of Oliver Cromwell, which was very fitting at the time when we saw the rise of this band - and yet again today - the Levellers' most classic songs seem to be part and parcel of the UK's anti-establishment, which since the Tory takeover last year, is once again more of a current affair than in times past.

The band formed in 1988 and soon released their first EP, on their own Hag label; Carry Me. This contained fan favourite England My Home. From the word go, the band's strong communist approach ran through the EPs and albums beginning with the debut album, Weapon Called The Word, even though there was a more indie appeal, and vibe, to the music.

In 1990 the band released their most influential and best-known album, Levelling The Land, wherein  they found their feet and became more of a "Sex Pistols with a fiddle player" type.

Levelling the Land had a well-rounded sound; tracks such as Liberty Song and Battle of the Beanfield (about the 1985 police repression against the Peace Convoy, which was attempting to set up the fourteenth Stonehenge free festival), folk ballads The Boatman and The Road and folk-rock crossover tracks like The Riverflow and Another Man's Cause.

The band also landed a U.S. deal with Electra, although they failed to make much impression in the USA; a disastrous tour of the USA in the early nineties left the band disillusioned with America.

My own opinion on this: it's where we can see the difference in free speech, and in living, from our Trans-Atlantic cousins. The Levellers were touching on points which would fail to make any kind of impact in the States, as making a anti-politcal stand within such a huge country which houses so many  different cultures and lifestyles within its land that differs from state to state? At this time The Levs might as well have been talking a different language.

 1992: the band enjoyed a series of successful tours, particularly their debut on one of the main stages of the Glastonbury Festival (although they'd played the travellers' area previously). This secured their place on the large Pyramid Stage for their famous 1994 set (despite jokingly calling Glastonbury owner Michael Eavis a "cunt" over the PA system when they heard he didn't like swearing).  Naughty boys!!

The band finally scored a chart hit with the 15 Years EP, a track which was added to later repressings of Levelling the Land due to its popularity.

1993 was thought to be a bad year for the band.  Jeremy the bassist and song writer, was becoming dependent on heroin, having first taken the drug as an alternative to his growing alcoholism. The creative process was not particularly enjoyable for any of the band who were drifting apart as friends and commuting to the recording studio to lay down the tracks for the album.

The generally gloomy atmosphere that surrounded the band is reflected in the darker tone of the resulting eponymous album (Levellers). Despite the band's dislike of the album, it was a huge hit reaching #2 in the album charts. It also contained This Garden, which has since come to be known as the band's signature song, and peaked at #12 on the UK Singles Chart.  In fact, Levellers contains a number of songs that have stood the test of time, with the negativity felt by the band giving an appropriate emotional tone to the aggressive 100 Years of Solitude (which manages to namecheck just about everything the Levellers considered wrong with the world, from Exxon to the NME), and the melancholy of Julie (which Jeremy wrote about the experiences of a heroin addicted girl).

In 1994 the band purchased a derelict factory in Brighton, the "Metway", and created a self contained headquarters; Hope Street, the lead single from the new album, was the first product to come out of Metway.

The album, Zeitgeist, was released in September 1995, and following that success, Hope Street should have made an appearance on Top Of The Pops; instead the band played the tongue-in-cheek drinking anthem Just The One whilst dressed in tuxedos. Just The One was specially re-recorded for the single release, with legendary Clash frontman Joe Strummer guest-starring on honky tonk piano.

The band returned to the studio in late 1996 and in early '97, we saw the release of the album Mouth To Mouth.

Their first gigs in several months coincided with the Labour Party/Tony Blair's landslide General Election victory on May 1, 1997 (Manchester Academy, and a second show at London's Brixton Academy the following night).

These gigs previewed several new songs, including the particularly catchy What A Beautiful Day.

This glorious, instantly recognisable slice of pop-rock has since become a firm live favourite, reaching out far beyond the Levellers' traditional fanbase.

It became the first single release from Mouth To Mouth and reached #13 on the UK chart.

Summer 1997 saw the band play at various festivals in the UK and Europe including a return to Glastonbury Festival, playing an afternoon slot on the Pyramid Stage.

The album had several singles: Celebrate, Dog Train and Too Real (the accompanying promo video of which was directed by cult UK movie director Alex Cox.)

1999 came and went for the band… this was essentially a year-off.

During this time there was a significant change at their record company, as China Records was bought by major label Warner Brothers. Eventually work began on a new studio album, Hello Pig.

The band drafted in Mark Wallis who had worked with Oasis amongst others, to produce the record. This was an obvious change in direction, and the resulting work confirmed this to listening ears.

Happy Birthday Revolution was released as a single, reaching #57 in the charts.

It received possibly the best critical acclaim the band had yet received; however the band's fans didn't particularly like the change in direction. With the relative commercial failure of Hello Pig, both the band and the record company had their excuses to sever their relationship. By mutual agreement, the Levellers and Warner Brothers parted company.

Despite the downturn in record sales, in the live arena the Levellers continued with aplomb.

This included a return to the United States, albeit as a stripped down version featuring only Mark Chadwick, Simon Friend and Jon Sevink playing acoustic shows in February 2001, with the same trio returning to play a lengthier tour in June the same year.

In early 2002 focus returned once again to making new music, with Al Scott returning as producer. After the recording was completed, the band played a short UK tour of smaller venues to preview the new songs, and they were well received by the fans and heralded as a "return to form". Meanwhile, after contemplating releasing the new material on their own Hag label, the band eventually signed a new deal with Eagle Records.

The Come On single preceded the album and just failed to make the UK Top Forty.

Green Blade Rising (originally a title of one of the Levellers' earliest songs) was released in September 2002 and also failed to reach the UK Top Forty Albums.

So once again, the Levellers returned to what they knew best, and went on tour!

Meanwhile, the band, growing weary of the ever more commercial UK festival scene, decided to put on a festival of their own. This would be a return - as far as UK legislation would allow - to the festivals of days gone by which the young Levellers had enjoyed, such as the legendary Elephant Fayre. Green Blade Fayre was the title of the first attempt, and was to be held at Bicton Park, East Devon, England in August 2002. Despite the backing of the necessary authorities, an organised local population managed to persuade the local council (East Devon) to reject the licence application.

In 2003 the Levellers created their own Beautiful Days Festival. The festival is an annual event, taking place each August at Escot Park, near Fairmile in Devon.

Released in May 2005, Truth And Lies is the Levellers' latest record. Mark Wallis returned as producer, with Dave Ruffy, drummer with UK punk band, The Ruts, also contributing at the controls. The album, released on Eagle Records, catches the band in an upbeat mood, highlighted by the first single Make You Happy.  A second single, Last Man Alive, was also released. Following the previous year's acoustic live work, 2005 saw the band tour the UK and Europe as a full electric band once again, continuing through 2006.

They remain supporters of anarchist and green issues. They are strong supporters of the Brighton music scene giving local, young and upcoming bands use of their Metway studio and rehearsal facilities. This has led to a compilation CD and radio shows, Metway Sessions. Bands such as Clearlake and The Mutts have also been given support act slots on Levellers' tours.

Their fan base runs strong; they are loyal, opinionated and enjoy the good times with fellow fans and the band themselves: no pretense, no falseness, just straight up rock n’ roll, to be enjoyed by all ages.

If you get the chance to visit beautiful days next year! do so!! the best family festival you'll ever find in 2012!!

The Levellers are:


Mark Chadwick (vocals, guitar, harmonica)

Simon Friend (1990 to present: guitar, banjo, vocals, mandolin, harmonica)

Jeremy (Jez) Cunningham (bass guitar, vocals)

Charlie Heather (drums)

Jon Sevink (fiddle)

Matt Savage (2002 to present: keyboards, backing vocals)

Sometimes supported by Stephen Boakes (didgeridoo).

Brave & Blog Team Up: We Review Barbara Gordon and BATGIRL #1

Pop connoisseur Doc at When Batmobiles Fly and myself here at Firefrorefiddle decided to celebrate this week's relaunch of DC COMICS' Batgirl character by a brief trans-continental pub chat and look at the strange lives of Barbara Gordon.

WBF: I don’t think we’d have Batgirl today without Yvonne Craig.

Boy Wonder who?  The delightful Ms. Craig sold a
generation on girl power and lace motorcycles

In 1967, the tail wagged the dog and the Producers of the BATMAN TV show asked for a female companion to add to their mix of Adam West and Burt Ward.  DC COMICS sent Carmine Infantino off to his room et viola: The Million Dollar Debut of the Batman Family.

GCM: Though the tail wagged the dog, Batgirl had a unreleased pilot film, which also starred Tim Herbert (he occasionally played criminal ‘stooges’ in other episodes of Batman) as Killer Moth, which ties in with (The Million Dollar) Debut in the comics, where we see Batgirl take down the Killer Moth himself (and his many larvae and pupae.)

WBF: Man, I'd love to see that.  I thought Infantino's costume was great for comics.  Lots of black!

It’s funny, with all the teeth gnashing and ironic pundits who characterize contemporary DC Comics and their beholden relationship to Hollywood, but I think it did them well in Batgirl’s case.  In the comics, Batman and Robin suck their teeth and rattle on about “ass kicking is no place for a girl” whilst in the show, the boys can’t scrape their chins off the pavement watching the purple-spandex high kicks.  Yvonne Craig and the show Producers made Batgirl a mystery to the Dynamic Duo and it worked: Clearly, the best moment of Season 3.

With apologies to Mr. Bruckner, Karen Palinko's
BATGIRL captures the essence of the comic art! 

GCM: Yvonne Craig was a symbol to girls worldwide; she was cool and kept pace with Batman and Robin while involved in something that was really looked upon predominantly as a ‘boys’ game in the playground. Batman had the Batmobile, but Batgirl had her own answer with the Batcycle, which added that extra dash of dare and finess. One difference we did see: Barbara Gordon, the well-known redhead in the comix was actually dark haired in the show, and she would use a wig for the red locks when she was Batgirl.

WBF: After the fall of the show, did DC COMICS know what to do with the Dominoed Dare-Doll?  Isn’t that statement self evident enough?  Bronze Age writer Frank Robbins had Batgirl all but retire in the early Seventies, as she confronted her father with her identity and won a seat in the US Congress. 

With the exception of these Super-Fun Seventies
MEGO dolls, we prefer our Batgirls in black

GCM: Elliot S! Maggin and Bob Rozakis than spun some fun yarns with Barbara resuming her Bat career and flustering Robin The Teen Wonder.  Barbara Gordon in congress was all about social revelence; and it did put her in Washington for the battle with the spirit of Benedict Arnold in Batman Family #1 in 1975, which was a strike for the feminist movement (even though she was far too young to be a Congresswoman).

WBF:  I never liked the Bat Family out of Gotham, but the best moments of these stories are the interplay between Batgirl and Robin in a dozen issues of BATMAN FAMILY.  Barbara tolerated Robin's sexism with an appropriate degree of rolled eyes.  Vietnam Veteran-turned-Private Investigator Jason Bard was equally likely as a partner for her than the boy in a bright yellow cape.

GCM: BATMAN FAMILY is where she also got her own rogues gallery; even though most are forgettable, we do see the Earth-One Huntress and Sportsmaster.   As far as the bad guys go, The Power-Sower and Madame Zodiac weren’t too bad I suppose.  The best villain is certainly not Captain Aero,  although the story featuring that particular foe was narrated by Babs’ long-lost brother, the shadowy Tony Gordon. 

WBF: I liked that one!  Recently DETECTIVE COMICS had the return of Barbara's half-brother, in a super-creepy nod to THE KILLING JOKE.

And because of that AEROSMITH video, we shall never
speak of this again, Miss Silverstone...

GCM: Ahh, THE KILLING JOKE...

WBF: The Eighties were unkind to Barbara Gordon, to say the least.  THE KILLING JOKE is treated like the end-all moment for Batgirl.  More and more, I see it as the story that Brian Bolland really wanted Alan Moore to write for him.  In retrospect, it has nothing to do with Barbara Gordon- she’s a prop.

GCM: For what KILLING JOKE was, it has some good touches; where the idea was that the sanest man possible is but one bad day away from being a lunatic, so the Clown Prince of Crime set out to give Commissioner James Gordon that bad day.

WBF: John Higgins did a nice job on the colours, though.  So it wasn't that bad a day.

GCM: Things didn't start looking up for my girl until Kim Yale.

Bruce Timm et al made a brilliant
BAT FAMILY in a post-Alan Moore world

WBF: Right!  Kim Yale was really the second coming of Barbara Gordon.  DC COMICS had taken THE KILLING JOKE as the final say for the character and suddenly there’s this ubiquitous computer presence in the DC Universe.  It’s all knowing, like it’s Oracle Grecian namesake.  It’s street smart, taking on the Black Ops world of the SUICIDE SQUAD.  Of course, it’s Barbara Gordon.  Suddenly, the cripple in the wheelchair is now the smartest thing on the block, who just happens to be in a wheelchair.  And I think that’s even what it said on her new membership card to the Justice League of America, an auspicious event that never happened to Batgirl, to be sure.

GCM: We see Grant Morrison bring Barbara Gordon into the JLA, as Oracle; she was a positive role model to handicapped comic fans.  Within Birds Of Prey she became the brains behind the battlers, a la Professor X or the Doom Patrol’s the Chief.  First lady to do that.

Second time was the charm for an amazing
array of character designs

WBF: As for the all-new BATGIRL#1?  In a sentence, it appears Miss Gordon just “got better”.  She’s dialed back to post-college grad, a few years post-THE KILLING JOKE and just starting back out on the Batcycle.  

GCM: In this new book, we are introduced to new villain, The Mirror; and a new supporting cast as we see Barbara move out of her dad’s and get a new apartment. 

WBF: Smartly, Gail Simone is hard at work developing her own coterie of rogues.  Clearly Chapter One of a bigger story, so much for self-contained books.  

GCM: THE KILLING JOKE still plays a role in this story, which for a so-called “reboot” is a little confusing, as we take off touching upon the lasting effects of the shooting which paralysed her; which are obviously going to play a significant role within the storyline.

WBF: Right.  There's a moment where the trauma of what the Joker did to her has a huge impact.  Gail Simone is trying her best to make a lot out of this moment from 20 years ago, perhaps to appease die-hard fans entering this strange new world.  The book certainly looks pretty, even if the costume is a tad Bryan Hitch of 10 years ago.  I think Bruce Timm's redesign of her costume is still the best.

GCM: That's because yellow is one of the few colours you can see.

WBF: I always admire your candor, Mrs. Peel.

GCM: And I adore your blower Bentley, Mr. Steed.

TUNE IN NEXT WEEK WHEN WE CO-BLOG ABOUT BATWOMAN#1: LESBIANS AND BATARANGS!

Barbara Gordon: A Girl of TRUE GRIT