The Committee 1968

 

The Committee is a 1968 film Directed by Peter Sykes and staring Paul (Manfred Mann) Jones. The film features a superb score by Pink Floyd, and even The Crazy World of Arther Brown make an appearance.  In the film Paul Jones who is unnamed is picked up and given a lift in a car. The driver of the car pulls over because he does not like the sound of the engine. When the driver is checking the engine Paul Jones slams the bonnet of the car down on him decapitating his head. After a while Paul Jones sews the drivers head back on. The driver wakes up and Paul Jones informs the driver he does not want to drive with him anymore and he should leave. A couple of years later Paul Jones is invited to join a committee. These committee groups seem to exist to keep the system??? up and running, but really seem to not do anything. Later Paul Jones encounters the driver who gave him a lift a few years before. The driver does not seem to recognise Jones or remember having his head cut of. Jones then asks the man "are your teeth ok?" Jones then spends the rest of the film talking with The Committee Director (Robert Lloyd) about his earlier actions involving the car driver.
The film is shot entirely in black and white and is quite visually compelling. Take the sequence early on in the film, when a number of suit and tie gentlemen are walking through a building, accompanied by a 1st class Pink Floyd score. The camera follows these men going to a meeting, intercut with other images of old reel to reel computers and card index machines. The musical score by Pink Floyd at this moment is a must and would not sound out of place on Piper at the Gates of Dawn. After a very successful run in The West End in 68,  screenings of The Committee were almost non existant.  I won't pretend that I fully understood what was going on in The Committee, but that is what makes the film interesting and as a slice of 60s weirdness The Committee is definitely there.
The Committee YouTube

 

Thursday April 22nd Wedgewood Rooms

 

I will be supporting Warrington Runcorn at the
Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth 22nd April 2027.
This will probably be the 1st time I have played live since Nov 25, so tad nervous to say the least. I will be playing some old tunes and some new tunes from the next release
(due sometime 2027) Also playing on the night will be Secret Self (Simon Heartfield and Burning Trestle.
Tickets

Test Transmission Archive Reel 58 (Library, Lounge Music, TV, Easy Listening, Novelty)

Have actually had time to do another mix this year, so here for your listening pleasure is a collection of OST, Television, Lounge and Library Music bits and bobs. So what do we have this time round?? We have The Mike Sammes Singers, Anthony Newley, Laurie Johnson, David Lord With The Prime Ensemble, Clarks Shoes Promo, Wendy Craig, Bernard Cribbins, Soul Hooligan, Jack Arel & Pierre Dutour, Sylvia Sommer, Terry Snyder All Stars and loads more. This will be my last mix for this year but will probably do another sometime next year. So until we cross paths again TATA.
Andy Quin - Beach Buggy
Johnny Keating - Theme from Sam Benedict
Keith Mansfield  - Close Shave
Andre Brasseur - Mad Train
Mike Sammes Singers - The Telephone Song
Jack Arel & Pierre Dutour - Sideral Rhythmic
Francis Coppieters - Cross Talk
The Astros - Space Walk
Bernard Cribbins - Quietly Bonkers
Ray Guiot & Guy Pederson - Flutes Ad Libitum
Terry Snyder All Stars - Whatever Lola Wants
Piero Umiliani - Essere Donna
Wendy Craig - Not in front of the children
Riz Ortolani - Tiffany Sequence
Soul Hooligan - Sweet Pea
Anthony Newley - That Noise
David Lord With The Prime Ensemble - Sara's Tune
Irving Martin & Brian Dee - Funko
Kenny Graham and his Satellites - Sunbeam
Gerhard Narholz - Towerstreet
Clarks Shoes Promo - Walking Free
Ingfried Hoffman - Sharp Sharks
Nicos Mamanqakis - The Party
Laurie Johnson - Happy go lively
Cal Tjader - Gimme Shelter
Jimmie Haskell and his Orchestra - Hydrazine
Sylvia Sommer - Tinguely

 

Back in 2011 the actor Alfred Burke passed away. Alfred was probably best known for his portrayal of the Private Detective Frank Marker in the ABC/Thames TV series Public Eye and also of course Herbet from Tales of the unexpected episode Flypaper. Public Eye ran from 1965 to 1975 and the Frank Marker Charecter was very unlike other TV Detectives.  His world was at times dark and seedy,  his cases were often fraud, deception, divorce cases, handling stolen goods, blackmail, missing persons. BFI Screenline describes the Marker character as this "At the start of season one the hangdog Marker, played with understated perfection by Alfred Burke, is an unmarried loner scraping a living as a private investigator in London" The locations for the series later moved from London to Birmingham, Brighton, Eton/Windsor and Chertsey.

I remember seeing the later episodes of Public Eye in the mid 70s with my parents. What stuck in my mind most about this often very dark and to my young mind gloomy series was the intro and the fantastic but melancholy intro music which was composed by Bob Sharples under the name of Robert Eardley. A number of variations of this intro music would continue throughout all 7 series.

3 Short Promos By Grebo Gray

Grebo Gray is a Belgrade based Artist/Photographer. I have known Grebo for a number of years through a mutual friend. Grebo's artwork has been used by Simon Heartfield on a number of his releases. As a fan of Mr Gray's work I approached Grebo to see if he would be interested in putting together a few short promo vids for some tunes on my last release Counting to Ten Then Back Again.
Grebo very kindly said yes, and ended up producing three short promo vids, which are all now up on YouTube.

Psylons Run To The Stranger Promo 1986 Version 1 and Version 2

 

Run To The Stranger Promo 1986 Version 1 and Version 2 

This film has not been seen by anyone, including members of the band for forty years. Only recently turning up in a box from a loft. Getting the single together had been our goal and had given no thought to any wider outlet for it than the Radio and Music Press. With a single of the week in the N.M.E leading to the Peel session and a rapidly arranged distribution deal (Revolver in Bristol) the record entered the indie chart at number 21. With the possibility of it rising in the chart we were asked if we had a video to go with it. We had not. Fortunately we had an association with the College of Art so were able to rapidly arrange the use of a studio and edit suite. We didn’t have time to over think what we were doing so the result is a classic ‘lazy mime” backed up by our usual stage lighting. The edit suite offered all the visual effects of the 80s era, but the only two effects added were a touch of 8mm film and a tube of coloured lighting gel held in front of the camera. A few takes were edited about resulting in its Lo/fi fuzzy psych feel. The sound was never broadcast quality and has now been finished. We put it together within a week but ran out of steam when the single dropped out of the Indie Chart. We were pleased with the result at the time but out attention was drawn towards the release of a follow up single. The Run to the Stranger tape was never marked up for easy identification and after being passed around the band the only VHS copy went into a box to be lost for forty years, only ever having been watched by a handful of people. So we are pleased to present to you a 1980s curio, which we hope you will enjoy as much as we have enjoyed finding it and seeing it for ourselves. The Psylons wish to thank Sean Nye for Camera work and editing, Mike Snarr for Lighting and Sean O’Connell for the transfer from the original VHS to Digital. Cheers Chaps

West Country Tales

 West Country Tales was an early 1980s anthology supernatural drama series based on real-life experiences sent in by viewers in response to a BBC appeal. Of the hundreds of letters received, 14 stories were selected and turned into TV scripts. Some of the actors who appeared in the series included Nanette Newman, Jenny Hanley, Anita Harris, Milton Reid, John Abineri, Wendy Richard, Tom Adams, Jack Watson, Keith Barron. Unfortunately of the 14 stories only nine seem to be available. The missing episodes are Tell It to the Marines, Sarah, The Little Bounder, The Healer, The Sabbatical. In some ways this series was perhaps a forerunner of programs like Channel 4's recent series True Horror. The episode called The Visitor tells the tale of A mother and her daughter who live in a remote cottage. One day they receive an unwelcome visitor whose intentions may or may not be malevolent.This is an interesting tale which could have almost been written (but was not) by Robert Aickman. In places this story does have the pace and feel of some of Aickman's short stories, some of which always seem to leave you feeling slightly undecided and unsure but always wanting to know more. If you can track a copy of the series down it is def worth a purchase. But I should add that the quality of some of the episodes on the DVD are quite poor. (I should mention I did not buy my copies, they were a gift from a friend, so do not know where they were purchased from) There are a few episodes of West Country Tales on YouTube

Out Now Clip Clop to the Shop (Simon Heartfield Orchestral Mix)

Following on from my Feb 2026 Castles in Space Album: Counting to Ten Then Back Again.
Here is Simon Heartfield’s superb mix of the album track Clip Clop to the shop.
“The orchestral mix was the 2^nd of two remixes, the first being mostly electronic. All the percussion was removed. The main melody became a piano part with the addition of brass, strings, strings and violin. The idea was to make an alternative version but transposing it to acoustic instruments whilst keeping a little of the original atmosphere but making it a new piece of music in itself.”

Simon Heartfield (May 2026)

Available Now from Bandcamp

 

Shadows 1975 to 1978 Thames TV

 

Shadows was a Thames TV supernatural/mystery series that ran for 3 series from 1975 to 1978. All the stories were supernatural/Ghost/Fantasy/Mystery based. Shadows featured a superb array of actors including John Nettleton, Jenny Agutter, Jacqueline Pearce, Gareth Thomas, Brian Glover, June Brown, Russell Hunter (as Mr Stabs this character was also in Ace of Wands) George A Cooper (Caretaker Grange Hill) Brian Wilde (Mr Barraclough, Porridge) Norman Rossington, Gwyneth Strong and Joan Greenwood.
Writers for the series included Fay Weldon, J.B.Priestley, Susan Cooper, Joan Aiken.
What is also rather wonderful about Shadows was the exceptionally good intros to the series. A total of 3 different intros were used. My Personal favorite was the intro to the 2nd series with the animated bird flying, high contrast tower blocks and the creepy girl standing still whilst her shadow skips on a pale blue landscape. Always thought the intro to the 3rd series had a Box of Delights feel to it.
Some of the stories are perhaps a bit obvious/cliched and samey (After School & Waiting Room) some are fun (Dutch Schlitz's Shoes, The Man Who Hated Children) The Inheritance is a personal Favorite and definitely has a Folk Horror edge to it. A very fine and often over looked series.  If you do get the chance all intros are here on YouTube

The Horn Dance from The Inheritance

Test Transmission Archive Reel 57. Northern Soul, Funk & Soul Mix

 

Its been a very long while since my last Test Transmission Mix and I have been putting this one together for quite some time. So for your listening pleasure I have put together a Northern Soul, Funk and Soul Mix. This mix is simply a collection of Northern Soul, Funk and Soul tunes that I personally like and are guaranteed to get my feet and hopefully yours tapping . There is a lot here
The Checkerboard Squares - Double Cookin'
Shirley Ellis - Soul Time
Sly and the Family Stone - Runnin' Away
Vel-Vets - I Gotta Find Me Somebody
Dorothy Ashby - Afro-Harping
Dereck & Ray - Interplay
Darrow - Flecture - What Good Am I Without You?
Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
Prime Mates - Hot Tamales
Nolan Porter - Keep on Keeping On
Yvonne Baker - You Didn't Say A Word
Dust Brothers - Sliced Tomatoes
Living Color - Plastic People
Luther Ingram Orchestra - Exus Trek
Evie Sands - I Can't Let Go
The `Soulful Strings - Listen Here
R Dean Taylor - There's A Ghost In My House
Ike and Tina Turner - Nutbush City Limits
Sandi Sheldon - You're Gonna Make Me Love You
Pat Lewis - Warning
Shirlene King - Super Stuff
Cyril Neville - Right Place, Wrong Time
Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove
Isaac Hayes - Shaft
Gil Scott-Heron - Lady Day And John Coltrane
Gloria Jones - Tainted Love
Rita and the Tiaras - Gone with the Wind Is My Love
Marlena Shaw - Woman Of The Ghetto
Linda Jones - I Just Can't Live My Life (Without You Babe)
Diana Ross and The Supremes - Reflections
Eddie Kendricks - Keep On Truckin'
Larry and Tommy - Here Come The Judge
Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
The Flirtations - Nothing but a Heartache
Edwin Starr - War
The Precisions - If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely)
Sly and the Family Stone - I Want To Take You Higher
Velvelettes - He Was Really Sayin' Somethin
Lee Dorsey - Four Corners [Part 2]
Commodores - Machine Gun

 So until next time (and there will be a next time I bid you all farewell for now.

Counting To Ten Then Back Again (OUT NOW)

 OUT NOW and available from Bandcamp and numerous online music stores. (Norman, Piccadilly records, HMV.com, Juno, Record Plant, Music Magpie, Rough Trade and many others)
Its been 4 years since my last Castles in Space LP Sad Old Tatty Bunting and a Counting to Ten and Tatty Bunting Bundle is also available from Castles in Space Bandcamp.
So a massive Thankyou to Colin and all at Castles in Space for making this happen.
https://keithseatman-cis.bandcamp.com/album/counting-to-ten-then-back-again

Electronic Sound 134 Interview

 With it getting very close to the new album release date (27th Feb) I was interviewed by Bob Fischer for Electronic Sound Magazine. This interview plus album review are in this months edition (Issue 134) just think of all the fun you can have reading my daft ramblings and explanations for track titles. Here is the front cover, review and excerpt of interview.
https://electronicsound.squarespace.com/shop/p/issue-134

Clip Clop To The Shop (Video by Simon Heartfield)

 Here is a new promo vid for the track Clip Clop to the Shop from the forthcoming new album
Counting to Ten Then Back Again. The Video was made by Simon Heartfield.
Release Date Friday 27th Feb 2026 on Castles in Space.

Counting to ten then back again Feb 27th 2026

 My new album Counting To Ten Then Back Again is due for
Release on Castles in Space,
Feb 27th 2026.
Audio Excerpts for the Album can be heard here
The superb Artwork is yet again by the wonderful Nick Taylor

BLAST-OFF

Into Space with Waddington’s BLAST-OFF!  Described as “The Game of Modern Space Exploration and Technology for 1 to 4 Players. It also states in the introduction “It is not necessary to understand the rules for all three stages at the start” A friend of mine gave me Blast - Off for Christmas some years back and I have been trying to fathom out how to play it ever since then. Blast Off comes with some rather superb dials to measure Fuel, Orbit and planets visited. The playing pieces are various coloured Space Capsules and Satellite docking stations. You first have to get your Satellite docking stations into orbit then have to get the Capsule docked into your Satellite. Next step is to land on the moon and then head off around the solar system ending up at Pluto. First to make it there is the winner. Along the way you could run out of fuel and have to return to earth or even the moon to re-fuel.
Blast - Off was released at a time of the Apollo 11 moon landing and the late 60s were a peak time for Space related toys and games (Major Matt Mason, Project Sword, Triangs SpaceX, Zeriods and even Action Man who had a Mercury Capsule) I was lucky enough to have Zeroids (here is my last one) and The Action Man Astronaut and Capsule, both long gone. Clarks shoes even got in on the space thing by creating their Wayfinder Moonshot Shoes (The Sole was a silver liner surface, that did not stay silver for long) also supplied for your space age fun with the shoes was a cardboard space/moon background that came with transfers and space capsule which with the aid of a magnet you could move around on your space background. At the time I thought it was all fantastic……I still do.

A very young me looking slightly confused at my Action Man Mercury Space Capsule.
(Think the shoes had seen better days) BTW I still have that slightly confused look, normally when I am trying to write some music.