hotlegs, 1970 BC

fossil hominid skulls.

I mentioned Hotlegs previously in relation to Throbbing Gristle, odd as it may seem.

"Fresh from the breakup of the Mindbenders, guitarist Eric Stewart and songwriter Graham Gouldman opened their own Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England. Joined by Lol Creme and Kevin Godley, but temporarily shedding Gouldman, who promptly relocated to New York, the gang were experimenting with drum sounds when a passing record company executive spotted a hit amongst the hitting..."

"Kevin Godley, in a 1976 interview, said the album included the songs and ideas that he and Lol Creme had intended recording in 1969 with entrepreneur Giorgio Gomelsky. Gomelsky had named the duo Frabjoy and Runcible Spoon, wanting to fashion them in the style of Simon and Garfunkel."

Written by Eric Stewart, Lol Creme and Kevin Godley. Far from essential, but interesting, and it finally provided me with the excuse to post a picture of skulls; courtesy of The Dutch Perpspective after much fruitless web trawling.

Earlier this evening I was obliged to humanely dispose of one of my son's pet sharks after finding it gasping for oxygen on the gravel at the bottom of its aquarium.

Apparently putting semiconscious fish into a freezer compartment to euthanise it is not advised, nor could I very well flush it down the toilet or leave it to slowly drown. The most humane method, it seems - bar having access to 'ornamental' fish anaesthesia, which I'd neglected to purchase - is to hold the stricken fish and sever its spine directly behind the head with a sharp knife. This I finally did. Sharks - even fairly small tropical varieties - are quite muscular and wriggle wildly even in an extremely weakened condition. Thankfully, I managed to dispatch it neatly without accidentally lopping off a fingertip or two in the process.

I do not relish playing God. But the creature was clearly suffering.

Let me say, too, I hate that 'ornamental' fish crap. Like they're somehow less than real. Even keeping fish is fraught with peril.

Now I'm worrying that I did, or didn't do, the right thing. Which is less respect than I give those animals I eat, of course.

I still have the original 7", incidentally.

Did I mention Throbbing Gristle ?

▼ HOTLEGS: NEANDERTHAL MAN from "Thinks: School Stinks" LP (Fontana) 1971 (UK)

PURCHASE THINKS: SCHOOL STINKS