Time Stamps
0.00 - 2:14 - The Apathy
2:14 - 2:35 - The Seasons
2:35 - 5:11 - The Battle For and Against Humanity
5:11 - 7:19 - The Exodus
7:19 - 8:15 - The God Communication

Half way through making No CV, I got sick and tired of the entourage that had surrounded my writing partner on the album. So, I headed down to London to see John Best and Dean'O'Conner from my PR company Big Dipper and record label 13 Amp.

Richard O'Donovan from Mercury, who we were now signed to and got the recording budget from, had been to see us at the studio. I asked John Best what Richard thought of the new My Computer album.

John Best said this "Richard isn't bothered about the new My Computer album, he is more interested in a solo Andrew Chester record".

As John Leckie had just arrived on the scene, I told John Best that I couldn't abandon the next My Computer album, for a solo album.

Six months later My Computer were dropped by Mercury for delivering the finished aalbum in 7.1 surround sound, not stereo. Lucien Grange went to the playback studio to listen to it and the engineer couldn't open the files.

This meant we lost the second half of the publishing advance from BMG as well as the second option advance from Mercury. After three years of working on the record and putting up with all kinds of shit, I banked a big fat nothing.

My next call to 13 Amp went like this "6 months ago, you could have been James Blunt, six months before he got famous".

So I am going round to Mike Bennett's flat a lot and I get there one morning and his flat is trashed. He'd had a party the night before with Fat White Family, who he was producing. Mike played me this song he recorded during the party about the neighbours complaining, I like to think the footage I collaged together, captured the essence of the party, as he described it to me.

Adam Booth's funeral is happening right now and I can't be there so here is one of his tunes for everyone to listen to. Goodbye Adsinthe, see you on the other side.

Ever felt trapped by a UK mortgage? This one's for you.

Film Recommendation

From the My Computer album No CV 2005

BBC Review of the album upon release - https://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2005/07/15/180705_no_cv_feature.shtml

Written by Andrew Chester
Electric guitar Andrew Chester
Other instrumentation David Luke
Produced by John Leckie (without whom, the record would never have got made)

I believe in love
I do believe in love
But all I'm thinking of
Is making love to you
With some chemicals
Let's get some chemicals

Maybe I need you
Maybe I do
Maybe I do

I believe our time
Is til the end of time
One night the stars aligned
And tempted me to you
With some chemicals
We got some chemicals

Maybe I need you
Maybe I do
Maybe I do
Maybe I need you
Baby I do
I do
I do

From the My Computer album Brave+New=World 2020

Written by you know who
Guitar by you know who
Sung by you know who
Other instrumentation Tom Baird
Final recording and mix by Tom Baird
Mastered by Jaye Muller

Some chemicals are friendly
To your brain
Then two or three days later
You feel pain

I'm gonna get a job
You say
Be a teacher
Earn some pay
Never mind
What was said yesterday
Never mind

Cocaine was not a problem
At the start
Now every fantasy
That I embark
Upon
Involves a memory
No
Not two grams
Make it three

And we'll see who we can be

Some chemicals
Are friendly to your brain
Then two or three days later
You feel pain

I watched this many years ago. My own mother and her brother were born in Burma in 1930 and had a very similar life to that of the Drake children.

Carrying on in my series of bands that never made it into the general publics record collections, I bring you my first band Hulio Ridiculo Live Vol 2. Hulio rehearsd 5 days a week for 5 years and started to gig in Manchester City Centre in 1990. We were a product of our record collections and only tried to emulate them. Many years later, I went to watch Man Utd play at Old Trafford with my publisher Caroline Elleray and Phil Sachs, ex head of A&R at Factory Records. Phil drove me home and told me that Factory wanted to sign Hulio, but my manager was asking for too much money. You can imagine how I felt, as I trudged home.

All songs written by Smith and Chester

Recorded live on to TDK tape at various gigs at Band On The Wall Manchester 1992

Rodney Smith - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Andrew Chester - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals
Adam Speakman - Bass Guitar
Ian Bamford - Drums Backing Vocals
David Luke - Piano and Synths.

Masterd by John Leckie 2018

01. Rope
02. Apathy Burns
03. Just When I'm Feeling Strong
04. Truly Juvenile
05. Family Ties
06. My Disgrace
07. I'm So Confused (Reheasal Ancoats)
08. Things That Bother Us All
09. The Bubble Of Struggle
10. The Permanent Glow

Me and Adam Booth on our way to see Alex from Bugs in Ember and Jo Rose in Chorlton, Manchester, in 2010 when I had just launched Recreation Records. We are walking through Trafford Park and I had just finished work selling, so I can't shut up. Adam patiently listened to me and this short video shows you what a great friend he was to me and others. The band at the end of the video are called I Am Blackbird and Jo Rose is on keyboards.

I still don't know what happened to Adam or when the funeral is, but I wil announce it here as soon as I do.

From Adam's bother Jake

Time to let everyone know what happened to my big brother Adz, he became a bit ill over the last month, with stomach problems, which ended up being a severe case of peritonitis, a stomach ulcer that ruptured and caused blood poisoning, he was at home with our mum when he passed and fell asleep one last time x
Adams Funeral will take place at Blackley Crematorium on the 9th of April at 2:00pm
We would like to invite anyone along that would like to say their goodbyes and pay their respect to him.

I have just received the sad news that Adam Booth has passed away. Adam was a good friend and collaborator of mine and I loved him dearly. Adam helped me gig Good Neighbour live and collaborated with me on the My Computer album Sirens. My thoughts are with his family.

How I Fell is from the My Computer album SIRENS.

This channel is now dedicated to English bands and recording artists, who never found a place in the general public's record collections; for many nefarious reasons, in their youth.

Following on from Spirogyra, today I bring you another one of those artists - Nick Drake.

Words and melody - Andrew Chester
Beats - Doyli Beats
Sample - Alain Toussaint - Ether

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/jun/14/popandrock

NOT FOR SALE

Film recommendation

It is Jo Rose's funeral today at Manchester Crematorium Old Chapel 26th February 2024, 02:00PM. This is the first song me and Jo worked on together for the My Computer album Terrible Times back in March 2020. I sent him the song, he sent me back the atmospherics. I was stunned. If you can't make Jo's funeral, you can view the live stream here - https://wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view or send flowers. I will be doing both. Webcast log in pin 141 -9541.

Written by Andrew Chester (Big Yawn)

Butterfly classical guitar - Andrew Chester
Atmospherics - Jo Rose
Vocals Andrew Chester

Terrible times
Terrible crimes
This is no way
No way to live
So many lies
Everyone dies
So many scares
Nobody dares
To leave the house
Don't leave the house
Remember this
Don't even kiss
Do what you're told
Until you get old
Digital death
Digital breath
AI AI
5G and die
Sabbatean
Frankistean

Feed off your fear
End your career
Stand in your way
Twist what you say
Discredited
For what you said
Divide and rule
Who is the fool
Self driving cars
Blocking out Mars
Satellite stew
Rains down on you
Terrible times
Terrible crimes
This is no way
No way to live
AI AI
5G and die
Sabbatean
Frankistean

I never knew my father. My mother told me when I was 14 that he was in a skiffle band in the 60's called The Improvisors. He played tea chest bass and sang. They toured with The Grumbleweeds and nearly won Opportunity Knocks. They got offered their own TV show audition, but my dad didn't show up for it. He was in the pub getting pissed, so they failed the audition and broke up.

Written by Andrew Chester (Yawn)
Guitar Andrew Chester
Instrumentation Andrew Chester
Mastered by Jaye Muller

From the My Computer album Delete The Elite 2023

Dark days
Everyone says

These are dark days

Film recommendation. Was Edward de Vere Shakespeare?

Film Recommendation

In the 90's, all I heard about Dr John was his debut album Gris-gris. To this day I still haven't listened to that album. This is partly because of the sycophantic fervor for one of the tracks 'I Walk On Guilded Splinters'. I kept reading musicians bang on about the song so much it made me want to vomit. Meanwhile, I was listening to this Dr John album Desitively Bonnaroo from 1974, which is one of the funkiest and coolest records I have ever listened to. The lyrics are also particulary relevant today.

I was approaching the end of a grueling 3 year period making No CV. I wrote this song because I could sense that my girlfriend of 7 years was about to leave me; because I spent more time on the record than her. It made no difference, she left me.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2009/sep/01/my-computer

From the My Computer album Death of a Duo 2006.

Written by Andrew Chester
Accompaniment - David Luke
Hammond organ - Andrew Chester

What the hell's got into you?
This is me your talking to
This is not what lovers do
Lovers treat each other well
And they share each others hell
And iy was in love we fell

You mean everything to me
Who I am
You let me be
When I'm with you
I am free

You are my green eyed girl
And I'm your blue eyed boy
The sweetest thing is love
The end result of joy
And drugs
They do their thing
But oh
It doesn't last

You mean everything to me

Samuel Beckett was Jo Rose's favourite author. One day, I invited Jo over to Salford Media City to meet Mike Bennett. A massive argument ensued just 2 minutes after Mike & Jo met, over who knew more about Beckett. I didn't know anything about Samuel Beckett, until I watched this documentary.

Once upon a time in central Manchester, on the edge of Salford; I was helping a friend of mine book bands at Cathedral Arches. Derek Ryder came to see me with a member of The Orch about doing a gig there. I recognised Derek from a recent Granada Factory Records documentary. We exchanged telephone numbers and the next thing I know, Derek is managing my band Hulio Ridiculo. I will never forget the first time Derek played me a track by The Orch. It was called Blue Light and I fucking loved it.

Two more Spirogyra albums that I listened to in full yesterday and enjoyed.

St Radiguns

1)The Future Won't Be Long - 4.19
2)Island - 3.43
3)Magical Mary - 6.20
4)Captain's Log - 2.09
5)At Home In The World - 3.06
6)Cogwheels, Crutches And Cyanide - 5.54
7)Time Will Tell - 5.38
8)We Were A Happy Crew - 5.33
9)Love Is A Funny Thing - 2.11
10)The Duke Of Beaufoot - 8.03

Old Boot Wine

11)Dangerous Dave - 4.18
12)Van Allens Belt - 2.51
13)Runaway - 4.59
14)Grandad - 3.25
15)Wings Of Thunder - 3.13
16)Worlds Eyes - 7.37
17)Dont Let It Get You - 4.27
18)Disaelis Problem - 4.16
19)A Canterbury Tale - 4.05
20) In The Western World - 12.50