Thursday, May 26, 2011

Platform Soul

Platform Soul was written by Hilton Coldstream and Van Credenza shortly before Coldstream was kidnapped and presumably killed in the Far East. The band had been reluctant to record the tune, but vocalist Biscuit has nagged the rest of the group to do so: this is the result.

A return to the glitter era with a robotic twist in the tale, Platform Soul samples various drum parts from the ‘seventies. Hilton owned a robot which sported outrageous platform sole boots: unfortunately it was never returned to him after the police impounded it as evidence when he was accused of human trafficking back in 2008. The case never came to trial, although following Coldstream’s disappearance, an upswing in the Vietnamese population appeared to occur in his old locality.

So here we have it, yet another tribute to the maverick, the innovator, and perhaps the perverted criminal that was Hilton Coldtream.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Professor Jimmy Edwards



This song is a tribute to Jimmy Edwards, a multi instrumentalist from London, who died in 1988. It features a new instrument (for Van Credenza), the ‘Rockstar Air Guitar’ which cost £2.99 from Amazon. The mallet and the marimba compliment the percussive rhythms, while slide bass guitars have been utilised as samples.This song is a tribute to Jimmy Edwards, a multi instrumentalist from London, who died in 1988. It features a new instrument (for Van Credenza), the ‘Rockstar Air Guitar’ which cost £2.99 from Amazon. The mallet and the marimba compliment the percussive rhythms, while slide bass guitars have been utilised and sampled.

London born James Keith O'Neill Edwards was better known as Jimmy Edwards, and, along with distant cousin Windsor Davies turned to comedy as a means to a living. In fact, Edwards it was who set up Davies in his major starring role, advising Davies on the handlebar moustache style, and cajoling the casting team to employ his relation. Jimmy Edwards himself was a war hero, earning the DFC, and he proved himself to be multi talented by starring in his own pioneering radio and television productions, such as Take it from here, and Whack-o. However, he led a secretive private life, and although married for many years to Valerie Seymour, he had many affairs, with partners of both sexes and a few don’t knows. One of these liaisons allegedly resulted in the birth of an Irish child, reputed to be a parent of pop duo Jedward, so called in tribute to their mystery grandparent. Their hair is styled on Jimmy’s moustache.