Wild Billy Childish & The Buff Medways split up in 2006 after releasing 4 albums in 5 years, one each on Damaged Goods & Vinyl Japan and two on Graham Coxons ‘Transcopic Records’. During that period they were regular guests on John Kennedys XFM show ‘X-posure’ doing three studio sessions and a live broadcast ‘X-posure Live’ from the Barfly club in London.
This album captures the best bits of those XFM sessions, side one is all from the Barfly gig including one of the funniest mouthy stage invaders ever and side two is all tracks live in the studio, John Kennedy has done the sleeve notes and Billy compiled the album.
The first session features Graham ‘Cocky’ Coxon on drums.
Here’s the track listing…
1. Have Mercy/Well Well
2. Troubled Mind
3. Strange Kind of Happyness
4. John the Revelator
5. Till it is over
6. Hound Dog
7. ATV
Live at the Barfly – with Johnny & Wolf
8. Breakdown
9. Strood Lites
10. Dawn Said
Session- with Graham Coxon on drums – Johnny on bass
11. Just 15
12. Punk Rock ist Nicht Tot
Session – with Johnny & Wolf
13. What You Got
14. David Wise
15. Fire
Session -with Graham Day and Wolf
And here’s John Kennedy of Xfm’s sleevenotes…
As someone who’d been attending various Billy Childish live outings, at now mostly defunct venues, across London -The Clarendon, Hammersmith, The Falcon in Camden, St. John’s Tavern in Archway – I’d always dreamed of getting him on to my radio show but was too in awe to approach him myself. A legend and a hero to me and many top groups, I often advocated that it was essential to see Billy play live at least once a year to re-affirm your belief in rock’n’roll and maybe even life itself.
Luck would have it in 2001 I met Jamie from Transcopic Records (Graham Coxon’s label), Jamie was releasing Billys new album and I suggested that he come in and do a session for me at Xfm. In November 2001 we
pre-recorded four solo tracks and an interview with Billy (broadcast on the 18th December). Contrary to my foolish pre-conceptions Billy was a gent and I plucked up courage to invite him to play one of my X-Posure
Live gigs at The Barfly in Chalk Farm. The disbanding of Thee Headcoats had been a disappointment but the Who & Hendrix covering explosion that emerged as The Buff Medways was a permanent smile inducing revelation. I was over the moon knowing that I could now share with the world the magic of The Buffs live.
The 23rd January 2002 was the date of the gig (Mower and The Loves were also on the bill). In 8 years of X-Posure live gigs and ten years of Xfm (fifteen if you count the five campaigning years) that recording is one of the things I’m most proud of. I introduced the boy’s on stage to a packed house and the ensuing gig was full of everything you’d expect from Billy, Johnny & Wolf. The show aired the following Wednesday 30th January.
This was just the start of a long and fruitful relationship between Billy and Xfm leading to a further Buff Medways session for X-Posure, recorded in
May 2002, followed by sessions for other shows on the station. The last session the Buff’s made for me wasn’t actually recorded at Xfm – there was never anywhere for them to park their ambulance. Listing to these recordings it strikes me that it’s about time Billy and his accomplices were on the show again. In the meantime, are you ready for some life affirmingrock and roll?
John Kennedy, X-Posure, Xfm, October 2007