Kirsty would have turned 64 on 10th October 2023. 

Friends, family and fans will meet and gather around Kirsty’s bench in Soho Square at 12pm on Sunday 8th October for a few songs. We will go to The Spice Of Life afterwards for more celebrations that include singing, music, a quiz, food, drinks and lots of fun!

There will also be an auction this year. Kirsty’s friend and artist, Philip Hardaker has designed 5 medallions in memory of her. They come in two small boxes – 2 in one and 3 in the other. To accompany the items, there will be a copy of a piece Kirsty herself wrote about Philip in 1997. The proceeds from the sale will go to The Music Fund For Cuba. 

If you want to find out more on Philip and his artwork, you can check out his website below.

https://philiphardaker.co.uk/

Places downstairs at The Spice Of Life are limited to 100 people. There is also a bar upstairs.

We will look forward to seeing you all!

From Ruby

Kirsty’s brother, Hamish has recently recorded a song he composed called ‘He’s A H.I.H.O.M (A Hero In His Mind)’. It’s a fun piece and has his vocals on it.

From Ruby

Matt Dix has made another mix, this time it’s ‘One Little Lie’.  Kirsty’s original recording is edited to be at the same speed of Frida’s version with a little overlay of Frida’s in some places.

From Ruby

Matt Dix, who is a massive Kirsty fan and a member of the ‘Kirsty MacColl Fan Gang’ Facebook group has made these mixes recently.

First is ‘Walking Down Madison’, where he combines the 6am Ambient, Ye Olde Original and 7″ single mixes together.

The second one is ‘You Still Believe In Me’, where he incorporates The Beach Boys’ backing vocals from the original version into Kirsty’s 1981 rendition.

Matt said they were fun to do.  I enjoy listening to them.

From Ruby

Ozzie Renei uploaded a great video of her singing the classic song on Friday this week.

From Ruby

Another taster song now available for streaming in the usual outlets – the Dominguinhos/Anastácia Brazilian composition ‘Eu So Quero Un Xodó‘.

Kirsty’s love of Latin music began at a very early age – one of the first records she owned was a collection of Mexican Mariachi music. Having taught herself Spanish and Portuguese, prior to making her 2000 album ‘Tropical Brainstorm’, she contemplated a collection of Latin covers, including this previously unreleased song, recorded with long-term collaborator Pete Glenister. Eventually she decided, “I didn’t want to try and fail at being the Buena Vista Social Club. I wanted to succeed at being Kirsty MacColl.”

Gilberto Gil’s famous version of the song appeared on the David Byrne compiled 80s collection ‘Brazil Classics 1 – Beleza Tropical’ (which should be in everyone’s collection by the way).  Here’s a live version of Gil with Dominguinhos.

Kirsty’s demo of ‘One Little Lie‘ is now available to listen to on YouTube and streaming services. It’s a great version and I love her vocals on it.

As you may know, she sang backing vocals on Frida’s version of the song. It was released as an album track on Frida’s second English language album, ‘Shine’ released in 1984.

American singer, Alisha also recorded a version on her self-titled 1985 album. I think her cover is OK, but I much prefer Kirsty and Frida’s versions.

From Ruby

As you may know, renowned journalist Jude Rogers has written the liner notes for the ‘See That Girl (1979-2000)’ box set. In her Substack newsletter, Jude shares a sneak peak of what’s to come in the new release by including quotes from Steve Lillywhite and Johnny Marr intertwined with 5 Kirsty videos that always make her, and many others smile.

https://open.substack.com/pub/juderogers/p/stop-look-and-listen-7-an-autumn?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

From Ruby

Jeff Markley uploaded a cover of ‘They Don’t Know’ on his YouTube channel yesterday.

From Ruby

Here’s the tracklisting for the new 8CD box set. Songs that have been previously unreleased or feature for the first time on an official Kirsty release are in bold.

Disc 1: The Singles
They Don’t Know
Keep Your Hands Off My Baby
There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis
See That Girl
You Still Believe In Me
Terry
A New England
He’s On The Beach
Fairytale Of New York (The Pogues Feat. Kirsty MacColl)
Free World (Radio Version)
Days
Innocence (Remix)
Don’t Come The Cowboy With Me Sonny Jim!
Walking Down Madison (7″ Mix)
My Affair (Radio Edit)
All I Ever Wanted (Single Mix)
Angel (Single Edit)
Caroline
Perfect Day (Kirsty MacColl & Evan Dando)
Mambo De La Luna (Single Edit)
In These Shoes?

Disc 2: 1979 – 1983
Turn My Motor On
I Don’t Need You
There’s A Guy Works Down The Truck Stop Swears He’s Elvis
Nothing To Do (The Clock Goes Round Demo)
Falling For Faces (Demo)
The Real Ripper (Demo)
Teenager In Love
Mexican Sofa
Until The Night
Over You
Queen Of The High Teas
Bad Dreams
Time
Sticked and Stoned
Annie
Camel Crossing
Berlin
Man With No Name
Lullaby for Ezra
Up the Grey Stairs
Roman Gardens

Disc 3: 1983 – 1989
Terry (Extended Version)
Quietly Alone
One Little Lie (Demo)
A New England (Extended Version)
Patrick
I’m Going Out With An Eighty Year Old Millionaire
Trouble With People (Demo)
Man Of Steel (Demo)
He’s On The Beach (Extended Version)
Please, Go To Sleep
You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby (She’s Having A Baby Version)
Closer To God
The End Of A Perfect Day (Original Demo Version)
La Forêt De Mimosa
Fifteen Minutes
What Do Pretty Girls Do?
Dancing In Limbo
You And Me Baby
Happy
El Paso
Still Life

Disc 4: 1989 – 1992
Innocence (The Guilt Mix)
No Victims (Guitar Heroes Mix)
Clubland
Other People’s Hearts
One Good Thing
He Never Mentioned Love
The Hardest Word
My Way Home
My Affair (Olive Groove Mix)
All The Tears That I Cried
A New England (Live At Glastonbury 26/06/92)
Innocence (Live At Glastonbury 26/06/92)
You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby (Live At Glastonbury 26/06/92)
Fifteen Minutes / Don’t Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim! (Live At Glastonbury 26/06/92)
Happy (Live At Glastonbury 26/06/92)
Tread Lightly (Live At Glastonbury 26/06/92)
Train In Vain / Walking Down Madison (Live At Glastonbury 26/06/92)
Free World (Live At Glastonbury 26/06/92)
There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis (Live At Glastonbury 26/06/92)

Disc 5: 1993 – 1996
Soho Square
Last Day Of Summer
Can’t Stop Killing You
Titanic Days
Big Boy On A Saturday Night
Angel (Stuart Crichton Piano Edit)
King Kong (Demo)
Dear John (Demo)
Fabulous Garden
Touch Me
Free World (Live at Belly Up, Solana Beach, California 01/12/93)
Miss Otis Regrets (Live at Belly Up, Solana Beach, California 01/12/93)
Irish Cousin
The Butcher Boy
As Long As You Hold Me (Electric Version)
Eu So Quero Un Xodó
In These Shoes? (Demo)
Things Happen (Demo)
Treachery (Demo) (a.k.a. Stalking A Fan)
Siempre Tu Rosa (Always Your Rose)

Disc 6: 1999-2000
Mambo De La Luna (Mint Royale Mix)
In These Shoes? (UR Crazy Remix)
Good For Me
Autumngirlsoup
Us Amazonians
Nao Esperando
Wrong Again
I Believe In Love
Sun On The Water (Demo)
Here Comes That Man Again (Live at The Jazz Café, London, 12/10/99)
Head (Live at The Jazz Café, London, 12/10/99)
Celestine (Live at The Jazz Café, London, 12/10/99)
England 2 Colombia 0 (Live at The Jazz Café, London, 12/10/99)
Designer Life (Live at The Jazz Café, London, 12/10/99)
Days (Live at The Jazz Café, London, 12/10/99)
Walking Down Madison (Live at The Jazz Café, London, 12/10/99)
How Insensitive (Live at The Jazz Café, London, 12/10/99)
My Affair (Live at The Jazz Café, London, 12/10/99)

Disc 7: BBC recordings 1981 – 2000 
I Don’t Wanna Play House (Something Else, BBC TV 23/10/81)
Queen Of The High Teas (Something Else, BBC TV 23/10/81)
You Can Have My Husband (Something Else, BBC TV 23/10/81)
Don’t Come The Cowboy With Me Sonny Jim! (BBC Radio 1 session for Nicky Campbell, 08/11/89)
What Do Pretty Girls Do? (BBC Radio 1 session for Nicky Campbell, 08/11/89)
Don’t Run Away From Me Now (BBC Radio 1 session for Nicky Campbell, 08/11/89)
Still Life (BBC Radio 1 session for Nicky Campbell, 08/11/89)
There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis (BBC Radio 1 Session for Nicky Campbell, 26/06/91)
Walk Right Back (BBC Radio 1 Session for Nicky Campbell, 26 June 1991)
Darling, Let’s Have Another Baby (with Billy Bragg) (BBC Radio 1 Session for Nicky Campbell, 26 June 1991)
Angel (Later… BBC TV 19 November 1992)
Can’t Stop Killing You (BBC Greater London Radio Session for Peter Curran, 07/03/94)
Soho Square (BBC Greater London Radio Session for Peter Curran, 07/03/94)
Bad (BBC Greater London Radio Session for Peter Curran, 07/03/94)
My Affair (BBC Radio 1 Session for Simon Mayo, 07/03/94)
Miss Otis Regrets (with the 1st Battalion Irish Guards) (Later… BBC TV 31 December 1994)
Caroline (BBC Greater London Radio Session for Peter Curran, 16 February 1995)
Free World (BBC Greater London Radio Session for Peter Curran, 16 February 1995)
A New England (Acoustic) (BBC Radio 1 Session for Kevin Greening, 20/02/95)
He’s On The Beach (Acoustic) (BBC Radio 1 Session for Kevin Greening, 20/02/95)
Tread Lightly (Live at The Fleadh, Finsbury Park 10/06/95)
I Wanna Be Sedated (Live at The Fleadh, Finsbury Park 10 June 1995)
In These Shoes? (Later… BBC TV 15/04/00)

Disc 8: Other People’s Songs (Guest Appearances & Collaborations)
Peggy Seeger – Darling Annie
Jane Aire & The Belvederes – Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache
Jools Holland & Kirsty MacColl – Shutting The Doors
Tracey Ullman – You Broke My Heart in 17 Places
Billy Bragg With Johnny Marr & Kirsty MacColl – Greetings To The New Brunette
David Byrne – Make Believe Mambo (Orisa)
Ewan MacColl – The Manchester Rambler
Happy Mondays – Hallelujah (MacColl Mix)
Mary Coughlan – Invisible To You
Alison Moyet – Wishing You Were Here
Holly Johnson – Boyfriend ’65
Kirsty MacColl & Billy Bragg – Darling Let’s Have Another Baby
The Wonder Stuff – Welcome To The Cheap Seats (Naked Mix)
Engine Alley – Song For Someone
Anthony Thistlethwaite – Red Jeans
Sharon Shannon & Kirsty MacColl – Libertango
Chucho Merchán, Kirsty MacColl and Phil Manzanera – People Uniting
Ghostland & Kirsty MacColl – Sail Away

I’m looking forward to listening to all the songs that were made for the ‘Real’ era and hearing the rest of the unreleased recordings, especially her version of ‘One Little Lie’ and the full song of ‘Siempre Tu Rosa’.

From Ruby