Monday Long Song

Time for writing is short, but fortunately this week's tune is long, and magnificent. It's recently been noted elsewhere what a very good year for music 1981 was. Produced by Martin Hannett, 'The Presence' is not only Crispy Ambulance's finest 13 minutes, but, in my opinion, is up there with the finest music to emerge from anyone in 1981.

Crispy Ambulance - The Presence

Crispy Ambulance

It's one thing to celebrate the anniversaries of LP's from my long gone school days; 'The Slider', 'Ziggy Stardust', 'Exile on Main St' etc, but quite another to be informed that Joy Division's 'Unknown Pleasures' turned 35 last week. THIRTY FIVE! This was only seven years after those classics from T.Rex, Bowie and the Stones, but, viewed from this end of the telescope, the gap seems far wider. I demand a recount.

Meanwhile, from a mere 33 years ago, here are fellow Mancunians and Factory artists, Crispy Ambulance. The connections don't end there of course. One night in 1980, singer Alan Hempsall was temporarily called into service by Joy Division after Ian Curtis suffered an epileptic fit, just before a show in Derby. The tune is the frankly magnificent 'The Presence' and, in one final link, it was produced by the legendary Martin Hannett.

An edited 'performance' video of the song is available here and it's well worth 6½ minutes of your time, but I make no apologies for choosing to concentrate on the full 13 minute version of this masterpiece. Enjoy.