This represents something of a departure for the Rough Guide series. Up until now, they’ve been limited to a quick skim through the music of a specific country, or even region. I believe that this more focused trawl through the sounds of Basingstoke is the first in a planned series of overviews of provincial English music.
Basingstoke might not spring to mind as one of the well-springs of European song. But where other collections have barely hinted at the existence of the Hampshire town, this album succeeds brilliantly.
Purists might object that some of the music’s connections with Basingstoke are, at best, quite tenuous (the claim that the father of Orchestra Baobab’s bass player used to work in Allders department store is, perhaps, the most obvious example). There could also be some quibbles about particular selections (the Spice Girl’s ‘Say You’ll Be There’ appears here as a favourite of suburban parties, but it isn’t clear why this has been chosen ahead of the far more complex ‘Wannabe’).
However, the plus side to these imaginative selections, is that we are spared the excesses of the more parochial outpourings from Basingstoke. And there is no dispute about the wonderful musical offerings on display here. Who can fail to be moved by the bulbous polyrhythms of Kate Rusby, or Djivan Gasparyan’s muscular flute playing on his hauntingly anxious version of Whole Lotta Love? And who could complain about a previously unissued version of ‘Sex Machine’ (taken from the infamous James Brown Live at the Anvil volume 1 sessions which are now seen in retrospect as a millstone of mature funk)?
The excellent sleeve notes by Avril Bouffon, well-known in the local scene, really bring the local music scene to life. With a background as a peripatetic estate agent, she is able to employ her unparalleled knowledge of local housing prices to telling effect, making a convincing case for Basingstoke as being within reasonable commuting distance of London. As is becoming a standard for the Rough Guides, this comes with an extra CD rom track, with a map of the key venues and a brief tour of the high street on a Sunday morning.
All in all, this is almost a credible overview of what might otherwise be thought of as something of a musical backwater. It will be fascinating to see this promising series as it unfolds, with upcoming projects including Glasgow Café and Chesterfield Lounge. Recommended for newcomers and the gullible alike.
