Whatever You Want – 29th November 1982

17th Jun 2025 – I discovered that on this date I was watching the new UK TV channel, inspiringly titled Channel 4, and it’s wild and crazy, Keith Allen-fronted show Whatever You Want. I know this because the vision of watching the Birthday Party in a live performance of both The Fears of Gun and Hamlet (Pow, Pow) was so entrancing that they stuck with me forever.

For a 14-year-old me, this appealed with its over-the-top performance and mind-bending music. I think I was already familiar with Hamlet (Pow, Pow), but perhaps not The Fears of Gun. My memory isn’t so good in this case. The Birthday Party’s music still captivates because I just don’t understand how it was created.