Mind How You Go Now

Like a lot of other people who grew up in the 1970s one of my recollections is of government public information films where various everyday happenings promised death or at least severe injury- rugs on floors, plugs, roads, water, electricity, the countryside in general. A few years ago I was in a record shop and having been aware of the Ghost Box record label saw an album by The Advisory Circle ( the work of Jon Brooks). The man behind the counter recommended it, saying it was inspired by public information films alongside with musical influences like Broadcast, krautrock and soundtracks. I bought it on the spot. It's undoubtedly retro but there's enough going on for it to be much more than an exercise in nostalgia. The synths are warm and clean, the drums pitter-patter. It's haunting in places, evoking that world of Sunday afternoons, grey skies and damp British weather. This album and the whole series Ghost Box series of albums are beautifully packaged too if you need another incentive.



This clip compiles some of those public information films and in the grimmest of ironies features Jimmy Saville warning people about danger.