Stupefied: The Gary Asquith Playlist

This week's edition of the Stupefied playlist is from one my all time favorite frontmen, Gary Asquith, best known as a member of London's provocative and dubby Renegade Soundwave. Gary has long been involved with a bunch of interesting (no matter what, they're always interesting) projects beginning with early post punk efforts MASS, and Rema-Rema, moving on to Renegade Soundwave, and most recently with the Lavender Pill Mob, and some other more underground things.

Here's what Gary had to say: This was harder than making a record in my opinion. I want you to know that Nat King Cole is my favourite singer of all time - I grew up listening to my father playing his albums and he's god in my house. That's it. It could all change at the flick of a finger. 

I worked on Mikkim's Offbeat Rhapsody album last year which won the Andel prize for Best Reggae and Ska album (an Andel award is like a Czech grammy - it means "angel" in Czech). I did three songs for the album: a reworking of "Probably A Robbery," "Air Hostess" (an old RSW track that vanished around the recording of Soundclash), and "Heaven Be Upon Us." I shall also be promoting the album by playing live with Mikkim at Glastonbury this year.

I've been recording with Japanese musician Takatsuma Mukai for his new album - a track called "The Store" - called Sunya (which is sanskrit for zero or void), and I've recorded a dubby-styled 45 under the name Renegade Connection called "I Surrender" for my Le Coq Musique label. I'm also I'm also currently working on the remixes of Rema Rema's original recordings. 

Lavender Pill Mob

 Visit Gary and keep in touch with his various projects via the following Facebook links:

Le Coq Musique

Renegade Soundwave

Rema-Rema 

Renegade Soundmachine

Gary Asquith

Huge thanks to Gary...And don't forget those bonus points for including "Karate Boogaloo"! 

01. When I Fall In Love - Nat King Cole

02. Ballade De Melody Nelson - Serge Gainsbourg

Renegade Soundwave

03. Lola - The Kinks

04. In A Broken Dream - Python Lee Jackson

05. Dub Organiser - Dillinger

06. Karate-Boo-Ga-Loo - Jerry-O

07. Would You Believe - Roxy Music

08. Out On the Street - The Shangri-Las

09. You Got Soul - Johnny Nash

10. Nancy - Frank Sinatra

11. I'll Come Running - Brian Eno

12. Havana Moon - Chuck Berry

13. Heroes and Villains - The Beach Boys

14. Police in Helicopter - Eek A Mouse

15. Cosmic Dancer - T.Rex

16. The Trip - Kim Fowley

17. Ain't That A Kick In The Head - Dean Martin

18. Cheesy Lipstick - Rammellzee

19. I'm A Man - Jobriath

20. Walking On Water - Richard Hell

21. Girls - Genevieve Waite

Before and After: Can't Get Used To Losing You

 Before - Andy Williams (16 Most Requested Songs)


During - Martha & the Vandellas (Can't Get Used To Losing YouMP3)


After -
The (English) Beat (Just Can't Stop It)


Renegade Soundwave (Soundclash)

Before and After: Biting My Nails

Before - Genevieve Waite:


After - Renegade Soundwave:

The twenty year shock

This post was inspired by the incredible series of originals/covers posts that Any Major Dude has been running for a while now. For the last twenty years I've been under the impression that a song called "Biting My Nails" was written by Renegade Soundwave. Their version was probably the closest thing they ever had to a hit. At least here in the States. So sleazy, menacing and bad attitudinal was their version...who else could have written it? It was tailor made for them, no? Apparently not...not at least originally.

Originally the tune was written & performed by one Genevieve Waite on the 1973 album, Romance Is On the Rise. The album was produced by her then husband, John Phillips of Mamas & Papas fame. She being his third wife. According to Wikipedia, the album was released to some critical acclaim at the time, and the artwork used a photo by Richard Avedon so there must have been a decent artwork budget.

Anyway, I only found this out a few days ago as I was visiting my friend Michael Overn. Once a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, Michael took tickets, and shot video and did some lights at Danceteria here in NYC. He and some friends, including Karen Finley and Carlo McCormick also did a public access TV show. Michael pulled out a DVD and proceeded to show me an episode that was a tribute to Haoui Montaug's monthly cabaret show at Danceteria, No Entiendes (yes, this is where Madonna made her live debut in 1982 or so).


That's Haoui on the left. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Falgerho)

In this particular episode was a performance of "Biting My Nails" sung by Deb Parker & Cathy Underhill. As the song was playing, it sounded a bit "downtown New York" which was typical of the time. Sort of campy, ironic, fun...sort of like Pulsallama with a pretty hot backing band. Not much different than the original version it turns out. It didn't take long for me to recognize the tune, and realize that it preceded, by a good 3-4 years, the Renegade Soundwave version. It really sort of blew my mind.

The original -


The cover -