The picture sleeve of a single released on Factory Records in 1984. Here’s the a-side:-
mp3: Stockholm Monsters – All At Once
This is the first time the song has featured on TVV, but the b-side was actually part of ICA 151 back in January 2018. The ICA in question was a compilation of Factory Records bands not called Joy Division, New Order, Electronic or Happy Mondays.
Here’s a cut’n’paste from that ICA.
“Finishing this side off with the b-side to a single. Stockholm Monsters weren’t, it seems to me, taken that seriously by anyone outside of Factory – the fact they had a stupid name for a band didn’t help matters; still, it could be worse, they could have called themselves Crispy Ambulance.
mp3: Stockholm Monsters – National Pastime (FAC 107)
This was actually a late addition to the ICA…it’s a song I’ve known since its 1984 release as it was played a lot by one of my flatmates who declared it a bona fide classic. He even managed to persuade the student union DJ to air it a few times on the ‘alternative disco’ Thursday nights. I’ve never owned a copy of the single, and it is an expensive one on the second hand market, but a while back Swiss Adam featured it over in the Bagging Area and I nicked it from there when he wasn’t looking! Feels right to let him say a few words…
Opening with clattering drums and a low slung bass, then a beautifully naive topline and a wonderful non-singer’s vocal. Produced by Peter Hook and lost by a record company who wouldn’t pay for pluggers and promotion because they believed the music would sell itself. If this was the only song they’d released, they’d still more than deserve a place in a version of mid-80s indie scene. A little slice of perfection.
Indeed.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
Me thinks FAC41 (Fairy Tales) was absolute perfection, and if they should only have released one record – that should have been the one.
Back in the day, I would buy any Factory release if I could/found out about it – and their album ‘Alma Mater’ was a personal favourite – I would recommend Ged Duffy’s book ‘Factory Fairy Tales’ as an insight into the early Factory days
I was a big fan of the Stockholm Monsters. It seemed a great shame that they quit in ‘87 just as their label mates the Happy Mondays were about to take Baggy to the mainstream.
My personal favourite is their last (near last) release, Partyline, and the 12” version. This finishes with the Monsters entering into a minute plus ranting shoutout to thank all those that helped them along the way (I think), starting with thanking Rob Gretton and Tony Wilson and culminating with “A last goodbye from the Stockholm Monsters!”.
Thanks JC.
Partyline is great 12″version especially. Fairy Tales is great. Alma Mater is great. Decalogue was a favourite of Andrew Weatherall’s. Stockholm Monsters were great. Best band from Burnage bar none.
Big fan of Stockholm Monsters. I met them at their rehearsal studios back in 1986 on my first trip to Manchester as they had rehearsal space in a building on or just off Sackville Street that a photographer I used to work with had his studio in. I was already a fan and just the mere mention of a fan from NYC saw me loaded down with all manner of flyers and even a single signed by the band. I remember I asked if they would ever get over to at least NYC to play and I got a few laughs and a big “NAH” from Tony. In fact I think they didn’t last much into 1987.