Out On Blue Six: Sleeper

It was fifty years ago today that Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon and made history. So what better song to play to commemorate the anniversary than this track from Sleeper's second studio album The It Girl from 1996; Good Luck Mr Gorsky...

Why?

Well, the Britpoppers' song is based on a risque urban myth concerning some words of well wishes Armstrong allegedly said for an old neighbour during the moon landing, which began doing the rounds in the early days of the internet in 1995. The story (or more truthfully, joke) has it that as a child Armstrong was playing baseball in his yard when he overheard his neighbours, the Gorskys arguing. 'A blow job?' Mrs Gorsky exclaimed to her randy husband, Mr Gorsky. 'I'll give you a blow job when the kid next door walks on the moon!' 

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RIP Dale Winton

Really sad to hear down the pub last night that Dale Winton had passed away at the age of 62. Being a teen in the '90s ostensibly revising for GCSE's and occasionally bunking off from school, his morning game show Supermarket Sweep became cult viewing so much so that he even appeared in the supermarket-set video for Sleeper's Inbetweener 

It's important to remember just how much of a well known and well loved figure Winton was in the '90s, fronting many entertainment shows and quizzes on TV. In later years he wasn't on TV as much (seemingly he preferred the radio, hosting Pick of the Pops on Radio 2 for a number of years - though changing tastes may also have had something to do with it) but when he was, such as hosting the National Lottery quiz In It To Win It for example, you were instantly reminded just how much of a safe pair of hands he was. His talent and likeable screen presence will be much missed.

RIP

Out On Blue Six: Sleeper

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Out On Blue Six : Sleeper

Cover of the Blondie classic from the Trainspotting soundtrack

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Out On Blue Six : Sleeper

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Live Forever (2003)

If you haven't been living under a rock this last month you'll doubtless be aware that it is now 20 years since Britpop. I'm acutely aware of this fact and, when coupled with the realisation that you've now spent more time out of school than you have in it, it doesn't half make you feel old I can tell you. 

When Britpop hit the scene in 1994 its fair to say that as a 14/15 year old it struck a chord with me. I'd previously devoured my parents vinyl collection for Beatles records and rode the criticism from my peers for being into 'old fogies' music. Then came Oasis and suddenly the world turned on its head. Six months down the line I well remember the alleged cool kids at school saying 'well if you like Oasis you really wanna check out The Beatles, because they're much better' Hmm, not exactly what you were saying a year ago eh guys? Being at school, GCSE's on the horizon, standing on the precipice of the big wide world it felt revitalising to believe something was genuinely in the air, that the country was on the up, just as much as it felt odd that music, mere music, could give us that sense of optimism.

Of course we quickly discovered that the up meant Blair and a massive big fart in our collectively hopeful faces. 

Live Forever a 2003 music documentary film directed by John Dower covers all of this, walking the line between the music, the politics and the cultural compass of the UK at the time. There's a great feeling for all of this and the period as a whole right across the board as befits the team that brought us the equally conscientious and well edited/compiled One Day In September, as well as some wonderfully candid talking heads; Jarvis Cocker is always good value, Damon Albarn once again shows how savvy he is and how unfairly maligned he was during his heyday whilst Sleeper's Louise Wener proves to be the most intelligent and aware of her alumni. Then there's the brothers - Liam and Noel. The former is his usually funny and infuriating self with one scene regarding his alleged androgynous appeal proving a particularly hilarious highlight, whilst the latter proves to be just as intelligent and articulate as the others but still clearly somewhat bewitched and misguided about that now infamous Number 10 meet and greet. Face it Noel, you were bought.

For the 20th anniversary this film, made just in time for the 10th anniversary, is still a fitting watch but I would argue a few more talking heads would have made it something truly special; Elastica, Garbage, The Manics, Suede, Menswear, Supergrass, Echobelly, Catatonia...surely some of those were available?

Incidentally, the eternal question 'Blur or Oasis?' continues to reverberate to this day - I've seen Damon Albarn asked about the rivalry twice just yesterday on two separate TV shows - for what it's worth whenever I was asked it in the playground I always answered the same; 'Pulp'.

Out On Blue Six : Sleeper

Back in the 90s, I rather liked Sleeper and that may have had just as much to do with Louise Wener's good looks as it did their good music. I've just read Wener's memoir's Different for Girls which I thoroughly recommend as a well written, self deprecating and funny take on growing up in the late 70s and 80s, taping Top of the Pops and the Radio 1 chart rundown on a little cassette machine, and then hitting the big time in the 90s and appearing on both those shows.

It's also wonderfully candid about the britpop indie scene in general and the likes of Blur (arrogant), The Boo Radleys (boring and habitual), Chris Evans (a tyrant), the Shooting Stars and Never Mind the Buzzcocks cast (Ulrika's unfriendly, Jonathan Ross vain), music journos (even more boring and habitual than The Boo Radleys) and the record companies (ruthless and uncaring) in particular.

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Girls With Guns

Louise Wener of 90s Britpop band Sleeper

Out On Blue Six : Sleeper

Ah Sleeper, 90s indie britpop band fronted by the gorgeous Louise Wener.

Blame/thank the Never Mind The Buzzcocks 1998 compilation ep on TV last night for me digging this track up.

I like the knowing Dale Winton cameo in the vid. He was famous for Supermarket Sweep back then.

I kind of miss the 90s :(

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