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On tonight’s show we chatted to former S*M*A*S*H frontman Ed Borrie, who released his first solo album – What Goes On – back in May.
S*M*A*S*H – Ed on vocals and guitar, Salv on bass and Rob on drums – were a punk trio from Welwyn Garden City who expertly followed in the path of icons such as the Jam and the Clash. They came to prominence in 1993 as part of the New Wave Of New Wave – a genre invented, and subseqeuntly ditched, by the music press just before Britpop came along.
Regardless of how the NME and Melody Maker pigeonholed them, the band quickly built up a loyal following and in March 1994 they became the first band to play Top Of The Pops before officially releasing a single.
The band’s lyrical output was controversial and uncompromising – but also way ahead of its time, with songs touching subjects such as feminism, mental health and suicide.
S*M*A*S*H at Esquires, Bedford in June 2012
Three full albums followed over the next 23 years – but sadly the band played their farewell show at the end of 2018, leaving their fourth album unrecorded. Ed kindly sent us the unused artwork for the album – designed by Rob’s brother Dave Hague, who had designed all of the band’s artwork to date. And yes, that was the title they were going to use!
Ed quickly picked up where S*M*A*S*H left off, turning the album into his own first solo album, “What Goes On”, which was released in May this year.
We managed to cram 30 years into 30 minutes and I really enjoyed chatting to Ed, who was very open and honest about his past – and who still shows a clear passion and enjoyment for his music after all this time.
The band is now looked back fondly by critics. In a 2015 retrospective the Guardian described Ed as a musician “who sang about suicide, gender politics and hate crime … was surely one of the great lyricists of the 90s … a frontman with the presence of a true star.”
You can buy What Goes On on Bandcamp and also find Ed on Facebook and Instagram.
And can see the videos for Shame and Echobelly’s Insomniac here and here. But you’ll have to listen to the interview to find out why I mentioned this …
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Tonight’s playlist:
Police – When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What’s Still Around
Thousand Yard Stare – It Sparks!
Honeyblood – Bubble Gun
Declan Welsh and the Decadent West – How Does Your Love
Chappaqua Wrestling – Is She Happy Turning On Her Side
Salad – Merryland
Crystal – Speak Of The Devil
Ed Borrie – Obscurity
Interview with Ed – Ed’s chosen songs:
Big Audio Dynamite – Just Play Music
Keep Cats – Far Too Long
Heaven 17 – The Height of the Fighting (He-La-Hu)
My Life Story – World Citizen
Darling Buds – Free World
¡Que Asco! – Sharkipelago
Idles – Never Fight A Man With A Perm (clean)
Kaiser Chiefs – Record Collection
Frank and Walters – Indie Love Song
Inspiral Carpets – Directing Traffik
Fluke – Absurd
Tindersticks – Marbles
Pulp – This Is Hardcore
Melys – Llawenydd