THE TESTIMONIAL TOUR OF 45s (aka The Singular Adventures of Edwyn Collins)

#1: Falling and Laughing : Orange Juice (Postcard 80-1, 1980)

Earlier this week, Edwyn Collins embarked on The Testimonial Tour, a last lap of live shows around the UK before what can only be assumed is a well-deserved retirement.  The timing, last Sunday, of the end of The Robster‘s epic series on Super Furry Animals I felt offered the perfect opportunity to now turn this particular day of the week into a real nostalgia-fest by looking back at all the singles Edwyn has released over the years encompassing Orange Juice, the solo career and the occasional collaboration along the way.

I make no apologies in advance if much of the series proves to be retreads of material used on the blog before, which can’t some as a surprise to you given how often he has featured over the years.  But it will offer the opportunity to eventually have everything in one place under a new entry within the index system.

His debut appearance on vinyl launched a label as well as a career now spanning 45 years and counting.

mp3 : Orange Juice – Falling and Laughing

Recorded in December 1979 in a tiny studio in the town of Strathaven, some 25 miles south of Glasgow.  The studio owner, John McLarty, despite having little experience in the sort of pop music the band intended to lay down, insisted on handling the production duties. As a sop, he did allow Malcolm Ross, a friend of the band who had already been involved in making a single with his band Josef K, to sit in on the session and make some suggestions.

Edwyn sings and plays guitar, James Kirk plays guitar, the bass is courtesy of David McClymont and Steven Daly is banging the drums.  Legend has it that 963 copies were pressed up, with a free flexi-disc and an actual Postcard being included inside what was a strangely shaped folding sleeve rather than the standard type into which a record would fit.

Two tracks were included as b-sides:-

mp3: Orange Juice – Moscow Olympics
mp3: Orange Juice – Moscow

They are the same tune, with the latter being particularly rough and demo sounding while adding a few additional chants of the word ‘Moscow’, courtesy of Alan Wilde (a name adopted by the band’s manager Alan Horne) and Steven Daly.

In June 2023, I finally obtained a copy of the single, a 60th birthday present from Rachel, without whom this blog wouldn’t have got off the ground.  It was also fitting that the online sale of the single was drawn to our attention by our dear friend Comrade Colin, without whom this blog wouldn’t have got off the ground. It came with the flexidisc and a postcard, and it was in mint condition.

mp3: Orange Juice – Felicity (live)

As recorded at an early gig in April 1979 by the aforementioned Malcolm Ross.

JC