Occasional Albums Thing 043 - My Life Story “Mornington Crescent”

Back in the late 80’s/early 90’s I was lucky enough to be spending a lot of time around The Wonder Stuff, practically living full time in London at their flat in Fitzrovia, right behind Great Portland Street tube station, across the way from Regents Park. During the day the band would be recording or rehearsing and as part of their crew, looking after Miles and Malcolm’s guitars and equipment, they kept me around. Come the evening the city was ours. They were a big deal at the time and we could show up at almost any club or gig and just be waved in and straight to the bar.

We had a weekly rota of clubs we would go to, one of which was Camden Palace, formerly the Music Machine and now known as Koko, which was just a hop and a skip from Mornington Crescent tube station (some of you may already have noticed the significance of that). They had what would now be known as an “Indie Disco”, Feet First on a Tuesday night hosted by DJ’s Jonathan and Eko, a very popular event which people would queue to get into. We would show up, look toward the doorman who would wave us past the queue, straight inside, much to the chagrin of those waiting outside. That doorman was Jake, a rake thin, blonde ball of energy who was the keeper of the door at Feet First, waving the favoured few past the snaking line and up to the VIP bar. Jake we later found out was Jake Shillingford, and Jake had a band, My Life Story, and “Mornington Crescent” was their debut album.

Jake Shillingford had been part of a band called My Life Story since the mid 80’s, they released a single, “Home Sweet Zoo”, in 1986. The concept lived on through the early 90’s and by the time they released the single "Girl A, Girl B, Boy C" (produced by Giles (son of George) Martin) in 1993 they were a 12 piece including full string and horn sections (much of the My Life Story string section can be heard on The Wonder Stuff’s “Welcome To The Cheapseats” from the album “Never Loved Elvis”). 1994 follow up single “You Don’t Sparkle (In My Eyes)” was also produced by Giles Martin and the rest of “Mornington Crescent”, which was released in 1995, was helmed by our old pal Pat Collier.

So what’s it like you might ask…well, take equal parts of Swinging 60’s London, Anthony Newley, John Barry film themes, a sprinkle of Scott Walker and 1967 Bowie, the great show tunes and add a touch of ABC and you’re getting kinda close. Jake has a way with melody and a killer chorus. Wrap all that up in the lush orchestrated arrangements here and it’s one fine collection. Due to the time at which it was released My Life Story have retrospectively been lumped under the BritPop banner. Yes it’s British, it is unquestionably Pop but there’s none of the boorish laddishness of Oasis, Blur etc. to be found here, just sparkling pop music.

It begins with the sound of an orchestra tuning up, the sound rising until the drums beat us into the opening orchestral sweep of “You Don’t Sparkle (In My Eyes)”. It’s all here, My Life Story coalesced into around 4 minutes, telling us tales of artists, singers, parties where the champagne wasn’t correctly chilled and a cheeky chappie vocal delivered with a nudge and a wink (and no little sparkle). It’s a perfect opening statement.

And they keep coming after that. “The Penthouse In The Basement” and “Triumphant” demonstrate Jake’s skill with a killer chorus, “Under The Ice” and “Bullets Fly” crank up the dark and moody count, “Motorcade” is so full of hooks a single song shouldn’t be allowed that many, “Girl A, Girl B, Boy C” is a clever, clever pop single and “(Theme From) Checkmate” deserves to have a film written for it so it can be a theme to something (it would have sounded great closing out the last episode of “The Queens Gambit”).

Jake is still making music under the banner of My Life Story, releasing 2 new albums since 2019 (“World Citizen” and 2024’s “Loving You Is Killing Me”) and in 2022 he toured as support to The Wonder Stuff. One last note about this fabulous album, I wish that in 1995 I’d bought it on vinyl instead of CD and it then wouldn’t have cost me the “OUCH!” it did to get hold of it 30 years later…beware new formats kids, they’re not always what they promise.

Theme From Checkmate - https://youtu.be/CfKLxXpzaIQ?si=IHSvYZjOpQ-o82WU