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 