Further Listening

Ria, Plymouth, 2009

One of my favourite songs is ‘Hey Headmaster’. I was listening to it just now. It’s a b-side (or bonus track as would be called now, although it was actually the b-side of a vinyl single in its day) and appears on one of the ‘Further Listening’ releases by the Pet Shop Boys.

I’ve always been a fan of their music, but in particular their b-sides and extra tracks. For the most part, they’re clearly not just hastily recorded filler material, but I think seen as a chance to experiment with and develop ideas and songs that either don’t seem right for any album, or somehow not commercial enough to be the a-side.

Some of these songs are among their best and certainly most interesting. It somehow seems a shame that they don’t get the prime-time exposure, but then they kind of aren’t right for that anyway.

I feel completely the same way about my photography, and some of the images I have shot.

I have some images that I adore, that I find really beautiful, interesting and am very proud of, but I know that they don’t ‘fit’ into a broader set, or are as immediate in their impact as some others.

It feels a shame not to show these anywhere or to relegate them to a dusty corner of my hard-drive. Perhaps I’ll create my own ‘Further Viewing’ album.

… Perhaps one day I’ll have a dedicated following, making such a collection worthwhile. Hah!

Until then, here’s a future b-side, featuring Ria.