13. Sun Ra
In the early 2000’s Nick Brown of Intoxica and The Membranes) took it upon himself to provide the music for our tours, and educate us in the process. This gave birth to the classic ‘Smokin round the lovin cup’ series of 20 or so compilation cassettes recorded at his Intoxica shop on Portobello road. He also did some DJ support slots – standing in the middle of the stage with a one-deck wheelie-bag with silence and tension between each 7" single. This is fine in a small club, but on a stage in front of a few thousand people shouting at you is a different matter – It took steel nerves and a very steady hand. Somewhere in ‘Lovin cup #2 was the title track from Lanquidity. I remember it like tasting a black olive for the first time, almost repulsive but you keep going back for a little more. Strange to think of that now when it is an album so worn and comforting to me.
