1 2 3 IceCream

Unreliable Recollections from Jimmy McKenna (subject to amendment should more reliable facts come to light)

Revisiting and reconstructing songs which were originally recorded on a 4 Track Portastudio can be a lot of fun. For this selection I have also replaced the original drum machines with the musical creativity of that Jason Bell.

Open to Offers another on the ‘it’s about time that my music received some recognition’ theme – a funky little number!

It Will Get Worse (Before it gets Better) boot boys/National Front inspired this

Bop Till you Drop this song was covered by Teesside Rockabilly group The Hitchers on their Teesside Deadbeats album.

This World is a Joke one of my angry songs. I am proud of this one.

Black Night I bought this Deep Purple single in 1970 and the In Rock album which I remember taking to my Uncle Harry’s house to play to him. In return he would play me his Jimmy Reeves and Buddy Holly albums.

Don’t Take it to Heart on the outskirts of Hartlepool are the villages of Hart and Elwick. My friend Geoff Grange enjoyed saying ‘don’t take it to Heart, take it to Elwick’. That stuck with me for the outro of this otherwise bitter song.

You’re Not Waiting another song that I am proud of, it is from the heart.

Running Out of Steam a Peter Scott song, one of a myriad of tunes which he has churned out. As usual my version only has approximate lyrics.

I Can’t Help Rocking n Rolling well I can’t! The lyrics of this song name check a few local groups I was aware of.

Let’s Do It gosh my disco song, with inserts courtesy of Freddie Mercury, the Roman Polanski film ‘Repulsion’ and a mystery person on my answerphone.

Another Love Song – I enjoyed the Good Old Days’ TV programme which featured lots of music hall songs. This is my attempt at one in that vein.

The Passion – a live performance with Alan Snowdon of guitar and featuring myself in serious vocal overthetoppiness (my throat has never the same since). I then overdubbed bass and piano and tricked Jason into adding drums.