New Town Animals

 

A fun little oddity for you today, in the shape of a one-sided flexidisc issued in 1979 by the marketing agency charged with trying to attract shoppers to Central Milton Keynes, and specifically to its new retail outlet, The Centre: MK, which was opened on 25 September 1979 by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

 

Milton Keynes, now the biggest town in Buckinghamshire, was incorporated in January 1967, part of a scheme to build new towns to deal with Britain’s expanding population. Named after an ancient settlement in the area, this new town swallowed up existing small towns and villages, including Bletchley, Middleton, Stony Stratford, and Wolverton. Often ridiculed as an example of what not to do in terms of town planning and modernist architecture, the new town of Milton Keynes would also provide the subject for a 45 release by the Style Council (Come to Milton Keynes), and Sir Cliff Richard filmed his infamous roller skating video for Wired For Sound there too.  

 

The track, You’ve Never Seen Anything Like It has the credit ‘music by Ronnie Bond’, rather than ‘performed by Ronnie Bond’ or simply ‘Ronnie Bond’. Bond was the former drummer of The Troggs who, by the end of the 1970s, was starting to make a name for himself writing advertising jingles. He wrote the famous Lee Cooper ad Don’t Be A Dummy, originally recorded by Gary Numan while still a member of Tubeway Army, before being re-recorded for 45 release by John Du Cann. He also penned It’s Written On Your Body for rival denim company Levi’s, scoring a minor UK chart hit with the resulting single release.

 

But that is not Ronnie Bond singing on You’ve Never Seen Anything Like It. Bond had a very distinct, pinched nasal voice, nothing like the rich baritone on display here. I wonder who that anonymous session singer is. Any suggestions?

 

Milton Keynes was not the only town to get its own corporate anthem, of course: let’s not forget the wonderful Energy in Northampton or the remarkable It’s a Leicester Fiesta. The Centre: MK is now a Grade II listed building. Looks like the town planners had the last laugh there.

 

Enjoy!

Download Never Seen HERE