OPO: Mekons

"last dance" is a good choice, though.

Where Were You : 16
Chivalry: 9
Trimdon Grange Explosion 8
Last Dance 6
Learning To Live On Your Own 4
Memphis Egypt: 4
Snow: 4
The Building: 6
I Am Crazy: 4
Hard To Be Human Again: 3
Hole in the ground 2
Fight The Cuts: 2
Millionaire: 2
Dan Dare: 2
If They Hang You: 2
Last Night On Earth: 1
King Arthur: 1
Big Zombie: 1
Ghosts of American Astronauts: 1

Nothing at all from Curse... you folks are weird!

Though it's tough not to vote for "Thee Olde Trip To Jerusalem," "Slightly South of the Border," or "Bob Hope and Charity."

almost split my ballot for that one...

Where Were You: 26
Chivalry: 13
Last Dance: 12
Hard To Be Human Again: 9
Trimdon Grange Explosion: 8
Snow: 8
Memphis Egypt: 7
The Building: 6
Never Been In A Riot: 5
Ghosts of American Astronauts: 4
I Am Crazy: 4
Learning To Live On Your Own 4
Orpheus: 4
Brutal: 4
The Curse: 4
Millionaire: 3
Hole in the ground 2
Fight The Cuts: 2
Dan Dare: 2
If They Hang You: 2
Trouble Down South: 2
Letter’s In The Post: 2
Not A Bitter Man: 2
Darkness and Doubt: 2
Chop That Child In Half: 2
Last Night On Earth: 1
King Arthur: 2
Big Zombie: 1
Hello Cruel World: 1
Rescue Mission: 1
Garage D’or: 1
Psycho Cupid: 1
I’ll Have To Dance Then On My Own: 1
Only You And Your Ghost Will Know: 1
Blow Your Tuneless Trumpet: 1
Funeral: 1
Revenge: 1
Oblivion: 1
Fantastic Voyage: 1

Sounds like the Mekons just finished tracking a new album in Spain. Why Spain? Who knows! Will it be another high concept album? Who knows!

I think that was their recording plan for 2020 that got postponed.

They've been sharing a few pics of the recording sessions on Facebook

Maybe it's my non-audiophile old school Koss over-ear headphones, but I've found that listening to the Freakons on free version of YouTube Music while reading lyrics on Bandcamp to be the ideal experience. Words are imaginative enough, without getting(too) arty-gimmicky extending realism through good turns of phrase that streak the coal dust on faces passing through once again, as the compelling music and the people in it push against limits of their situation, which are also limits of the Freakons' basic take: once again, as usual, the miners get reduced, by sympathizers as well as their bosses, so that we get no sense of what made this way of life bearable, and for some, seemingly inevitable--even desirable, financially and otherwise, even while knowing the risks and odds involved----Steve Earle & The Dukes' Ghosts of West Virginia is the only album I know of that speaks to and of this complexity.
But Freakons tunnels through it, for sure, with a tenacious vitality and recurring rowdiness. The women do most of the upfront vocal work, but Langford pitches in back there, and provides a very satisfying closer.

The Mekons’ Jon Langford & Sally Timms and Freakwater’s Janet Bean & Catherine Irwin are joined here by the stellar string and vocal harmonies of Jean Cook (Ida, Tara Jane O’Neil, Skull Orchard) and Anna Krippenstapel (The Other Years, Joan Shelley, Freakwater), along with special guest, the beloved guitar genius Jim Elkington (Jeff Tweedy, Richard Thompson, Eleventh Dream Day, Horse’s Ha, Skull Orchard, Freakwater, The Zincs).

Belgian painter Jo Clauwaert created the album’s intricate gatefold cover. Images from song lyrics and related history emerge and recede again in this gorgeously illustrated artistic fever dream.

Thanks for the reminder. I need to listen to Freakons

Saw the Waco Brothers last night in Washington DC. Last show of a 6 night East coast tour. Langford sounded good, and was entertaining and funny with his between song chat. They did a fair amount of songs from their latest album ( and some of those I liked). They also covered Undertones “Teenage Kicks” and Bobby Fuller 4 ( done Clash like) “I Fought the Law” plus a Small Faces song

Langford is going to do some gigs with Will Oldham in the fall ( pr says it will be like a pandemic show they did together earlier)

Saw Langford tonight with Bonnie P Will Oldham. Good show although a bit too much cutting up and goofy sing alongs with audience. I liked when they did Mekons songs. Oldham was in good voice at times. Langford sang one song from the recent Jon Langford and the Men of Gwent album “Lost on Land and Sea”

Thanks, hadn't heard of that album!

I had not either. Langford was just over in Wales for a week publicizing it. No Mekons in that group, other than him.

https://jonlangfordthemenofgwent.bandcamp.com/album/lost-on-land-sea

The Bandcamp bio for Langford and Men of Gwent says the November 10th released album is the group's 3rd one. I missed the first 2.

Thanks! And now I see that this was added last month:

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0308921547_10.jpg

Jon Langford wants to share his Gubbins with the world - songs that fell between the cracks, tunes too exuberant and twisted to hang with the popular crowd, stuff he just forgot about and pleasantly surprised the old welsh bugger when he rediscovered them in the basement.
released October 6, 2023

how did I miss Existentialism?!? incredible album, with definite throwbacks to the post-punk sounds of the 2nd LP lo those many years ago

Not sure I ever listened to that one either. It's a live one, recorded in Brooklyn in 2015 I just read.

it's really good - I have almost all their albums, only missing ME now I think, plus that Mekons 77 thing, can't believe I missed this altho to be fair it's from 2016

I did not mention itt that I finally got to see them a second time - the first time was an off night in Portland OR in 1992. this time was a sold out show in Seattle in summer 2019, and they were everything I could have wanted and more. I also had too much to drink and got sick later, but thankfully I remember everything up to the encore, then it gets hazy

I recently watched the Revenge DVD documentary, and was struck (speaking of Mekons 77) how close they all still seemed to be, even the ones who left in the early 80s.

I see Jon Langford is over in England and did a BBC interview re Mekons “Where Were You.” Also the Mini-Mekons are doing gigs in Brighton and London. Also Jon Langford and the Bright Shiners are doing gigs there and then in the US in June.

The Jon Langford and the Bright Shiners album came out in April.

Langford re Bright Shiners and more

https://sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/746742646581641216/jon-langford-interview?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1dkAKJ_x4KsEpn30DJOnDl4l7Z2kuXOyCGeySEpkQqX6s-eIzYHOzg6Ow_aem_AZbe71EoS3YfiVeZoAiQlpgeLGYGXNSa7FHuSKK8RkszSQHgAX1NeF76QKBos-mApmAbMQIg1HkjXeixOCkTVX69

I like the Langford and Bright Shiners album on my first listen ( while doing other stuff in the house).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBMcsX2RpOc

Langford and Bright Shiners live

New album Horror coming in spring, nice to have something to look forward to. Was listening again to Journey to the End of the Night recently, as I did eight years ago…

Great. The Mini-Mekons have been doing some gigs recently, including one with the Gang of Four. I think Langford has an art exhibit up in Austin now, and has been busy with his art elsewhere too

MEKONS ARE COMING 2025!!!
UK, EUROPE AND USA
WATCH THIS SPACE NOVEMBER 19TH

Got to see Sally and Jon play a small club in R.I. on Nov. 3. They were accompanied by Fenway Park organist and birthday boy Josh Kantor, who played piano and accordion. A great night.

Speaking of Jon and Sally, they (with Ship and Pilot) did an excellent "Junco Partner" on awes v.a. trib The Sandinista! Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcWrt_bia4M Would love to hear 'em w actual Clash + Tymon Dogg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jePCte2S1u4

US tour! UK/EU tour!

That's Rico singing, btw!

xp yeah just got a ticket for Lewes in May

They're playing down the street here on my anniversary, fortunately my wife likes the Mekons, too!

Might go to the Atlanta show. I saw them there like 25 years ago.

xp yeah just got a ticket for Lewes in May

I've got one for London. I wonder how on earth they came to be playing in Lewes?

get quite a few bands from that era playing there. been there a few times for gigs, usually more spiky-haired types - UK Subs, GBH, Varukers, The Boys. I suppose it's pretty close to Brighton but might cost less to put gigs on, and not that far from Eastbourne/Hastings

https://mekons.bandcamp.com/album/horror

new album Horror coming in April

another song from it out now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNlclWS_-hs

New Mekons album Horror is out and streaming

It sounds great on first listen

Sounds really good! The band does melancholy so well.

only listened once but I feel like there's less Sally than usual

And more Rico.

I like Horror but yeah not enough Sally and it’s kinda formulaic Mekons musically

It's listenable and I need to dig into the lyrics, but musically it's not necessarily anything they haven't done before

Interview and four songs played live (three new ones and Oblivion) on Riley & Coe on 6Music tonight

hopefully more than 4 songs played live tonight (seeing them in Lewes)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002bg5j

available on link for 29 more days

How was it, Colonel? I'm seeing them next week.

Great gig last night in London. Sally is ill and had missed some of the recent gigs, but got off her deathbed to join them mid-gig for a few songs (then departed again before the end). Highlights for me were Oblivion (which I was expecting them to play as it was in the 6Music session last week) and Lyric - my second favourite song off that album and not something I was expecting to hear at all. Some bloke joined them on stage to add random saxophone shrieks to the last couple of songs (including Memphis, Egypt) which worked surprisingly well.

That's a shame about Sally, she seemed on good form at the Lewes gig. Was a great gig, good set list. Keep On Hoppin' was a highlight for me. Mitch Flacko from Hagar The Womb/Anarchistwood joined on vocals/very exuberant dancing for Where Were You

Ah, is that who he was? He did the same in London.

Apparently someone left their t-shirts on a train, so they cranked out a few handmade shirts, a la this one:
https://scontent-ord5-3.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/495453712_24055245277434547_2370660228781912824_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=833d8c&_nc_ohc=xtOKuOsLcYUQ7kNvwH_gpAP&_nc_oc=Adn9o7H6IXOM7LO8E1IbJyGbHZX6u1yZwDVrd0ejVK0MuswPGOmLTnQvydv5MPHj6Bc&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-3.xx&_nc_gid=1D37pzwU-ozWxj7YPpYxQQ&oh=00_AfJeT0qSLwPLpRIrr0nTtVpfBSH_kh_BKfpJoBSmj7Pbtw&oe=6836C794
Needless to say, I am jealous, because no doubt when they get stateside it will be the usual shirts (which are still few and far between in Mekonland).