288) Diesel Park West - Shakespear Alabama

December 1988, I turned eighteen, I was single, this I know is the real big revelation of the review.

Basically, I have about ten mates who I have hung around with since I was a kid (we are still altogether with a WhatsApp Group called the Boys; ridiculous we are mid-fifties). We have had marriages, divorces, children, grandchildren , deaths of parents. From sixteen to about twenty-three we spent most nights in the same pub, drank too much and had some of the best laughs ever, no different I am sure from many throughout the country, but they were brilliant times.

So these excellent times meant I lay in bed  every Saturday morning conserving my energy to do it all again on the Saturday night watching The Chart Show, so many records were purchased from watching this show as I have mentioned before and that’s where I first heard Diesel Park West in January 1989 with All the Myths on Sunday.

 It was going to be a big hit I informed my mate, it wasn’t,  but I am sure the album was released at a fairly low price so was purchased. The delight that opener Like Princes Do was more of the same with an added psychedelic riff half way through made me think, I’d done well, nothing to do with the bands talent obviously all about how well I chose a record, arse.

Bell of Hope takes us down a notch to a more restrained performance but there is something about main man John Butler’s voice, an edge and an authority that resonates.

The Waking Hour the band storm in on backing vocals and with three guitarists in the band there is much to admire and When the Hoodoo Comes was another single that you could have imagined being a hit.

Jackie’s Still Sad and Here I Stand highlight the strong melodic sound of the band.

If Myths had been a hit I’m sure this album would have caught more people’s attention, if you like guitar based songs with a hook then I’d strongly recommend a listen, I still play it and it takes me back to those days where life was just a laugh, the music and the memories make it worthwhile.

7/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: All the Myths on Sunday