IkoStar

“June Chadwick” is in fact the solo project of Andrew Harrop (aka Basil Clithopps) of well-known seminal 70’s punk combo “Basil’s Randy Grandbag”. While still recogniseable in certain respects, this new album is a more considered body of work - a marked departure from his more forthright (and quite possibly turetic) material… into quieter - and undeniably darker, waters.

The project is a musical aduration to his first childhood sweetheart who he started stalking at the age of seven, and who later went on to marry David St Hubbins (who became famous in his own right many years later). This is an album of songs documenting the 10 year period of Andrew’s life falling apart around his (now rather famous) ears as June drifted further away… up to London while Andrew stayed behind in Woking.

It leads us with a sparse and simple (though undeniably painful to listen to) beauty, through landscapes of uncertainty and doubt and into the darkness (that is forever Surrey) beyond - a period in Andrew’s own life of almost total withdrawl into a dream-world, reminiscent in many ways, of World of Warcraft. It doesn’t end there though - eventually we emerge with Andrew into the light of self-realisation - a redemption of sorts as this snapshot of very English youth draws to a close, and manhood (after a fashion) begins.

Glib though it may be to say it now, Andrew’s loss has been the world’s gain - this is as viceral, incisive… and yet as delicate a journey upstream into the back-waters of the human condition as has ever been gifted to us. Andrew has lived it so we don’t have to. We owe him.

He is a master of his art, and this is a masterpiece.

Never give up.

With special thanks to Oneluvgirl

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spacequeen/2180907467/

Just because it’s only ’stuff’ doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it while I have it - Candi Hodge