Goldie's Fab Four #19

My highlights and recommendations

The Premonitions Bureau by Sam Knight

We’ve all encountered people who claim to have ‘had a feeling’ that one disaster or another was about to happen, and while it’s tempting to sneer at those who think they can second guess the future by asking them to send you next week’s lottery numbers, this book will make you think again. It’s the true story of psychiatrist John Barker who set up the Premonitions Bureau in 1966 after the Aberfan Tragedy, to see whether terrible events could be foretold and therefore prevented. Some of the anecdotes will have your hair standing on end.

Summer Feeling - Stone Foundation

I had the privilege of promoting a stripped back acoustic show a few days ago with Neil Jones and Neil Sheasby, the songwriting team at the heart of Stone Foundation, who I describe as “a soul band with indie spirit.” They’ve been knocking around for 25 years now, and can boast musical partnerships with US greats like Melba Moore, Durand Jones and Nolan Porter, as well as UK legends Paul Weller and Graham Parker. New single ‘Summer Feeling’ is all about the groove; a simple, laid back hipswayer.

Bundobust

To my immense disappointment, I’ve never been to the sub continent, so I’ve no idea if grub served under the banner of “Indian Street Food’ would be recognisable in, say Mumbai or Delhi - and I’m not too fussed to be honest. What I do know is that while Desi pubs are my No.1 dining destination, I’m more that happy to spend time in these slightly more upmarket eateries that serve tapas sized portions of spicy dishes. My home city of Birmingham is extremely well served with the likes of Dishoom (my favourite) overlooking Victoria Square ,the Indian Brewery near Snow Hill, Zindiya in Moseley and many more.

Bundobust, a small Leeds-based chain is the newest arrival, occupying a unit in the increasingly hectic entertainment strip off Bennett’s Hill - and it’s a worthy addition. All their dishes are vegetarian and there’s plenty of choice for a faddy eater like me (no wheat, no dairy). I really enjoyed the Aloo and Dhal Kachoori (spicy potato patties) and the pakoras (shown above). Extra marks for brewing their own range of craft ale too.

No frills with the decor, but reasonably priced for a city centre venue, and a clubby vibe as the evening wears on.

Louie Duffy’s Letter About Martin Duffy

There are two sides to every story, and I can’t wait to hear Bobby Gillespie’s response to the coruscating account of Martin Duffy’s death by his 18 year old son Louie. Martin, a keyboard player who performed on every Primal Scream album died after a fall in the kitchen of his home in Brighton last December. In a submission to his inquest, Louis claims his dad was left penniless by frontman Gillespie and guitarist Andrew Innes, despite the fact that they’d sold a chunk of their back catalogue for £5million. Loaded, indeed.

At the time of Martin’s death in December, Gillespie said he “was the most musically talented of all of us,” but that view wasn’t reflected in the royalties; nor was this classic ‘sideman’ helped by his wealthier bandmates as he became engulfed in debt.

Louie admits his Dad had alcohol problems, he insists he was always fit to play apart from one occasion when he was recovering from prostate cancer. Yet he was booted off a tour and spiralled into despair, feeling unloved and under-appreciated.

It’s a tragic story but the controlled anger of the letter is admirable. It demands a response from Gillespie whose reputation is currently being shredded on social media