From Revenge to the Football Factory...
I must admit to being initially quite surprised by the interest in my first foray into the world of popular, or in our case, not so popular music. Just out of school with barely a chord to my name, it really was a leap into the great unknown, a voyage into uncharted seas, to be honest a complete blag.
Through hit and run Arthur Daley tactics, we somehow wound up on the bill at London’s infamous punk club The Roxy. I was totally blown away to learn our second single ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ was changing hands at £200 a pop! We probably recorded it for less!
Having been immersed in the dance music scene for the past fifteen years (and quite happy there!) it seemed quite incredible after all these years that these two pieces of vinyl from a different age (and a different life) were attracting so much attention,
To be honest I feel incredibly flattered and take it as a huge compliment and it gives me such a thrill to think someone was listening after all!
Over the past few years things seem to have come practically and excitingly, I might add, full circle. Through my work as a Music Supervisor for a movie production company I have found myself delving into many different genres of music. Previously I had been, for a number of years, the consummate vinyl junky only concerned with things that came in at twelve inches. Now it was like being a kid in a candy shop. Taking from here and taking from there. It was through my work with the first feature film South West Nine directed by the very talented Richard Parry that I went back and re-bought several classic punk albums. It was on set after many a rambling conversation with ex-punk co-writer Steve North fuelled by whisky, Red Bull and God knows what else that I was suitably fired up to go out and re-purchase the Ramone’s first album, the Clash’s ‘London’s Calling’ and gems from Blondie and the Vibrators.
Brighton-based Steve had a very similar musical lineage to myself and we have since become good friends. I always thought that the initial burst of acid-house in 1988 was so similar in vibe and feel to that first rush when punk-rock so gloriously exploded on the scene in 1977.
Both flicked two fingers to the establishment, were new and exciting and were underpinned by a genuine DIY vibe. I always liked the ‘anyone can have a go’ theory and from such humble beginnings I feel so many inspiring things have occurred. It was such a thrill to work as Music Supervisor on happening British Director Nick Love’s Football Factory feature. I had previously been a hugs fan of Nick’s debut ‘Goodbye Charlie Bright’ and when the chance came up to work on his second film I jumped at it like a shot.
Getting the Jam’s ‘Going Underground’ and the Buzzcock’s ‘Ever Fallen in Love’ two punk-rock classics into the film gave me such a buzz. Two tracks I used to go crazy to back in the day! Timeless fantastic bands with timeless fantastic songs. I also had new punk represented in there with Albion’s finest The Libertines and their awesome ‘What a Waster’ track. Also up the minute club music was represented with David Guettas ‘Just a Little More Love’. What I have come to realise is good music is just that – good music – at the end of the day. Punk, soul, dub, jazz, classical, it is all there to be sampled (no pun intended) and enjoyed and long may it continue.
Lol Hammond 2005.
©Detour Records