Dexy's Midnight Runners: Don't Stand Me Down

Magnanimous is not quite the word, but there is contrition and humility in Kevin Rowland's sleevenotes for this re-issue ("the director's cut"). Example: "Basically, I'm amazed and quite embarrassed at my arrogance when I hear this," he says of One of Those Things, referring to his theft of Warren Zevon's "werewolves" riff, which, he explains, he later corrected by giving the original writers a share in the rights to the new song. Rowland goes on for two pages about the rights and wrongs he experienced at the hands of the police in general, and PC Barrington in particular, in connection with Kevin Rowland's 13th Time. Elsewhere he's more concise, confused, but also a little self-contradictory, as in

It's really hard for me to write these sleeve note because it was so long ago (1983-85) and I was different then. I wasn't aware of the beauty too much, it was all such a struggle and I didn't have so much confidence to begin with.

It could be gauche, but the writing has just about enough charm to pull it off and be convincing. However, I met a music business lawyer a few years ago, and he was talking about his different experiences with clients. He said Jon Anderson was the best because he just let him get on with it. The worst? Kevin Rowland.

In 1986 Van Morrison put out that song, "Copycats ripped off my songs", and I've often wondered whether he had Kevin Rowland in mind at all.

I steered a hundred miles clear of this album when it came out. I wouldn't have bought it even if it had got rave reviews, because I knew there were a bunch of music writers that liked the Dexys kind of thing, and I scoffed at all of them and their kind. But I think even they hated this at the time. I finally got it for Christmas in 2004, off my Amazon wishlist.

So Kevin has been granted the sweet taste of vindication by time, and I too can own up to the failings of my ignorance and prejudice (long past, of course) and celebrate what is, as Gideon Coe would say, a mighty, mighty fine record.

MusicBrainz entry for this album