'Jingle Bells!'

It has been a VERY odd year for me has 2015. I've seen a lot of changes, lost a few people from my life and have essentially 'ploughed my own furrow' as far as the world is concerned. The planet today is nothing like the world I used to know and while things were far from perfect before those who say we have 'come a long way' should ponder on just why it is then that the world is a FAR more violent, dangerous and unstable place now than it was in the 1970's ands 80's - with all its 'Cold Wars' and alleged 'ism's'...

It is precisely why I have felt 2015 to be a strange and 'raw' year that I decided to record something a bit out of the ordinary as my Christmas Youtube Video Single for this year. What about a PUNK version of 'Jingle Bells', I thought? I know! I could include a Dick Emery Vicar who gets his choirboys to shout 'OI! OI! OI! in the choruses and get the guitarist to suddenly burst into a drunken version of 'Rule Britannia' half way through...YES! What a good idea!!!

Well, in spite of having to talk my friend and LONG suffering Producer, Harvey Summers down from the top of high buildings TWICE that is EXACTLY what he and I recorded having enlisted the vocal help of another friend of mine (and unsung Punk Rock pioneer) Sue Butchers. Sue was in the band, 'Siren' in Sheffield back in the late 70's and they were one of the earliest all-girl punk groups. she then went on to front the popular gigging band, 'Debar' before appearing in Tenpole Tudor's video for 'The Hayrick Song' and getting arrested for wearing a Maggie Thatcher mask while filming a video for 'the Angelic Upstarts' in Brighton!

Now, Punk Rock is not very 'Christmassy' but I think a good old raucous knees up is just what the doctor ordered to see out a year which has LONG needed a good kick in the pants out the door!

So, without further ado, sit back and enjoy this festive fun-fest and let's all hope that 2016 is a hell of a lot kinder, nicer and more fun for all!!

P.S)

I would like to dedicate this video to the memory of DICK EMERY, whose fabulous Vicar character was the inspiration behind this idea...