Here we divert our attention away from the artists and bands and shine a light on some of those individuals whose contributions in our social media world have been an invaluable source of musical joy. By asking a series of 10 questions we want to get inside the mind of a selected community member and understand their indie DNA.
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In this edition – @bodlingboy
A Meet The Community for bodlingboy has been on our radar pretty much since day one, but we’ve been holding back waiting for the right time. With the first anniversary of our 30 Years Of Indie Albums interactive feature upon us, that time has arrived.
This time last year we were recovering from the inaugural Indie Advent and enjoying some post Xmas down time when that DM from bodlingboy hit us, suggesting a 30 Years Of Indie Albums as the next interactive feature. Realising that the month of January offered a perfect opportunity to run a daily interactive event covering 30 years, we put bodlingboy’s suggestion to the top of the in-tray, feverishly devised a format in the limited time available and dived headlong a chaotic month of guest judges, random years and musical banter.
So we have to thank bodlingboy for a month of Kalms and Pro Plus dependency and the four-fold increase in our mobile phone bill due to data allowance breaches. However, we also have to thank him for his part in a month of intense musical mayhem the after-shocks of which are still rumbling a year later.
Of course, that wasn’t our first contact with bodlingboy. The foundations were already laid through a variety of interactions on Twitter and we had begun to build a profile of the man. We knew for example that he rather liked a flutter and that he was an avid fan of Aston Villa Football Club. We’re not sure he’ll be laying down any bets on his precious Villa beating the drop though.
We also didn’t need to employ the services of Marple to find out bodlingboy’s favourite band. With a Twitter banner and profile pic both featuring images of The Family Cat cover art, the case was well and truly closed.
The one thing that we have learnt for the first time about bodlingboy is that his real name is David Crutchley. But calling bodlingboy “David” would be akin to referring to Bez as “Mark”. So we’ll stick with plain old boldingboy if it’s all the same to you David.
So without further ado, let’s meet @bodlingboy
1) Where did you grow up?
I grew up in and still live in Birmingham
2) What first got you into “indie” music?
Probably listening to my sister’s boyfriend’s albums of the late seventies and early eighties, especially Stranglers, Magazine and Joy Division (although for that privilege I had to suffer a lot of Tangerine Dream)
3) What was the first “indie” record you bought?
First indie record I bought was Blue Monday – New Order (more for the sleeve than the record). It got lost in the great bodlingboy fire of the late nineties. Vinyl burns a lot quicker than furniture, remember that kids!!!!!!!)
4) What was your favourite record shop?
In Birmingham had to be Tempest records. Just loved going down there on a Saturday and just milling around with not much intention of buying but just the anticipation of what records they would play in the shop
5) What music magazines did you read?
Magazine-wise was all the usual ones but had a real soft spot for “Sounds” and “Melody Maker” and the monthly glossy was always “Select”
6) What was your first “indie” gig?
First proper indie gig would have been around 1986 at Burberries in Brum watching Mighty Mighty supported by the Boatymen and a few weeks later The lilac Time. Got in for free as a girl I knew was copping off with Stephen Duffy
7) What was your most memorable “indie” gig? And why?
Loads of memorable gigs but strangest was when I was doing flyers for bands at gigs. There I was handing flyers out dressed a bit like the shopkeeper from Mr Benn when a voice boomed out “ooooiiiiiiiiii you with the fez go get my brother!”, I replied “it’s not a fez you idiot it’s a skull cap!”. “Go get my brother!” he screamed. So I ran backstage got the said brother. They both then went on to have massive argument at the front door, before 2 bouncers split them up and dragged them backstage.
As you’ve probably guessed this was Oasis, they were supporting Saint Etienne who I watched with Noel and Alan McGee. I think Liam was outside fighting a kebab seller or swearing profusely at a fake pot plant.
8) What 3 “indie” albums would you take to a desert island?
On my desert island I would be listening to Stone Roses (s/t), Buffalo Tom “Let Me Come Over” and Pixies “Doolittle”. That’s assuming the boat I get sunk on also had travelling on it all the members of the Family Cat and their instruments so they would be my desert island house band
9) What “indie” band/artist would you most like to meet?
I’ve actually met quite a few including the Family Cat, so would have to be the Pixies including Ms Deal
10) What one song defines your indie-ness?
I’ve never been quite sure what “indieness” actually is but a song to maybe define mine a little bit would be “Love In A Car” – The House of Love
A huge thank you to bodlingboy for taking part. Hope you enjoyed this insight into his indie-ness.
You could be next.
