Last time I was in Brighton (many, many years ago) I was walking around with some mates when one of them said “Oh look, it’s the alley where Phil Daniels shagged Leslie Ash!” and there it was, the scene of Jimmy’s quick knee-trembler with Steph in Quadrophenia. We wandered down to take a look but, as there were no girls to hand, didn’t try to reenact the scene.
Apparently it’s quite the famous spot. There should be a plaque on the wall or something.
I wouldn’t exactly call this a “forgotten” single but there were so many other blistering classic singles released in 1980 this one got lost in the crowd and only got to #40 so it’s probably one of those records you had to have been there at the time to remember.
Back in the 1980s the statue of Eros* which had stood in the center of Piccadilly Circus since 1893 was moved over to it’s present, less grand location on the corner outside The Criterion Theatre, apparently just to improve traffic flow through the area. I remember being really pissed off about this at the time and was surprised it didn’t cause more controversy — that was also around the time British Telecom got rid of our red phone boxes without any public consultation and that caused only a small ripple of protest too. It seemed just another example of how the character of the city I loved (and the whole country) was being ruined by the forces unleashed by Maggie Thatcher and everything had to be sacrificed at the altar of capitalist “progress” — in this case the growing number of cars that were taking over the city — so one of London’s most iconic and beautiful landmarks just got booted aside. Somehow I can’t imagine this happening in any other city in the world, it would be like the French shifting the Arc de Triomphe a little to the left so Parisians could get to the Champs Élysées a bit quicker.
Even though it happened 20 years ago Piccadilly Circus still looks “wrong” to me and poor old Eros seems a little diminished removed from it’s former pride of place in the centre. You probably can’t buy drugs there anymore either. Not that I ever did you understand, but it seemed that every time I sat there I was asked by some shady-looking bloke if I wanted to.
Anyway, that little rant was really just an excuse to post this track, a lovely tune that was on the b-side of the “Shout To The Top” 12″ single.
The sentimental musings of an ageing expat in words, music, and pictures. Mp3 files are up for a limited time so drink them while they're hot.
Contact me: lee at londonlee dot com
