ICA WORLD CUP

BONUS POSTING : THE ICA WORLD CUP

A new feature is going to launch properly this coming Saturday. It’s a variation on something I’ve seen used elsewhere but it’s such a brilliant and fun concept that it’s being adopted for this little corner of t’internet.

The idea, however, is not my own. The genius who suggested it is a reader of old, jimdoes:-

Hey JC
 
hope all is well
 
your latest blog post is great and i didn’t think for a minute you were moaning – to write a blog every day takes time and a hell of a lot of dedication – and to keep it entertaining and interesting is no mean feat – to sum up – i’m glad you are not quitting anyway, i’ve got a song/story that i meant to send you before xmas and i’ll try and do another ICA (they really illustrate how difficult it is to write interestingly about music and how you are so good at it)
 
so i’ve had a thought… there’s 130 different teams in the ICA’s… what if there was a world cup between them to find which one was the best…?? it would all be very arbitary but it might work…
 
130 teams in 14 groups of 8 & 2 of 9
top 2 from each group goes through to finals
qualification to the 32 ICA finals (where we have 8 groups of 4)
each group winner and runner up go to last 16 knockout till the final – i’d randomly pick one song from each ICA discuss it’s merits and give a score
 
i.e. the CLASH would be favourites but if they ‘played’ NEW ORDER and it was Capital radio 2 vs Blue Monday then we’d have an upset
 
it’s a mad idea but it might work!!!
 
anyway, happy new year!
jimdoes

Reading the e-mail on the i-phone put a big grin on my face and my brain went immediately into overtime, so much so I almost missed my train stop.

Jimdoes’ idea is fantastic but the suggestion of groups to get it down to the knockout stage feels like too much work, and besides I don’t think I’m alone as a football fan in preferring the drama of pure knockout. So, with his agreement, the rules of the competition have been revised a bit and firmed up to avoid dubiety.

There have indeed been 130 separate bands and artists featured within the ICA series. However, Morrissey has been disqualified on the grounds that his human rights record in recent years has been absolutely abysmal (as indeed have his musical records).

This leaves just 129 in the field, and all we need is 128 to have a straight knockout. So one ‘team’ has to removed in a preliminary round.  This is taking place today, with the remaining rounds played on the following dates.

Round 1 : 64 knockout ties : 16 ties on each of Saturdays 13, 20 and 27 January, and 3 February
Round 2 : 32 knockout ties : Four each on Saturdays 10, 17 and 24 February; 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 March
Round 3 : 16 knockout ties : Four each on Saturdays 6, 13, 20 and 27 April
Round 4 : 8 knockout ties : Two each on Saturdays 4, 11, 18 and 25 May
Round 5 : Quarter Finals : Saturdays 1, 8, 15 and 22 June
Round 6 : Semi-Finals : Saturdays 29 June and 6 July

The final itself will take place on Saturday 14 July, which is 24 hours before the final of the 2018 World Cup.

The numbers 1-150 (except #96 and #97) will go into the hat. Once a team is drawn out, their other numbers become ineligble (e.g, if #137 : The Fall (2) comes out, then #29, #144 and #147 cannot be included).

Fresh draws will be made at each stage of the competition so as to avoid folk looking to work out the route their own favourite would have to negotiate to reach the final.

The songs to be chosen from each ICA will emerge from a two-step process:-

(1) A coin will be flipped to determine if the song is from Side A (heads) or Side B (tails)
(2) A dice will be rolled to determine which track is to represent the particular ICA.

ONCE A TRACK HAS REPRESENTED A PARTICULAR ICA, IT WILL NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE TO APPEAR IN FUTURE ROUNDS

Voting, other than for the preliminary round, will be open for 6 days. In the event of a tie, the Blogfather (i.e, JC,  has the casting vote).

Votes must be cast via comments underneath the appropriate post. Only one vote will be allowed per IP address. Votes will close at midnight, UK time, on the Friday after the tie(s) have been announced.  The winners in each instanc will be revealed at some point over the weekend.

Hopefully, this all makes perfect sense….and so without any further ado, here’s the details of the preliminary tie to reduce the field to 128:-

#115 : Talking Heads v #93 : Close Lobsters

Wow!!!  A transatlantic clash between two of the dark horses.  A mouth watering-tie is in prospect.  Time to flip the coin and roll the dice for the tracks that will go head-to-head:-

Born Under Punches (from the LP ‘Remain In Light’ 1980)
v
Let’s Make Some Plans (single, 1987)

Get voting.  All votes must be in by Friday 12 January, at midnight UK time.

Tune in on Saturday for details of the initial 16 ties in the 1st Round.  The draw has already been made but is being kept under wraps.  Let’s just say, it has thrown up some intriguing battles.  Some of the pre-tournament favourites will be departing the scene almost immediately.

JC and jimdoes
 

PS : I should have said that this new bonus series will appear in conjunction with the regular Saturday series of Scottish songs – I’ll be posting them around 30 minutes apart.

 

Heaven 17

TRUE CONFESSIONS : TEMPTATION

I wonder if some of you were imagining that I was going to say something ridiculous along the lines that Temptation by New Order wasn’t in fact the greatest 45 ever released.  Ha!

This piece is, instead, about the Heaven 17 song which reached #2 in the UK singles chart back in April 1983, another of those songs that seems to be just about universally loved but has never been regarded as much cop here in Villain Towers.

I was a fan of Heaven 17 before its release and remained so afterwards but this, by far their biggest hit and best-known track was one that I usually lifted the needle over which meant that when I played Side 2 of The Luxury Gap LP, I went straight to its second track, the rather schmaltzy Come Live With Me.

Temptation annoyed me from the outset.  I thought it was tuneless and I wasn’t a fan of the OTT and occasionally screeching co-vocal courtesy of Carol Kenyon.  My mood wasn’t helped by the fact that having experienced flops with all the excellent singles from Penthouse & Pavement as well as the superlative Let Me Go, the band were now regulars on Top of The Pops with the worst thing they had done to this point in time.  I despaired, again, at the poor taste being demonstrated by the record-buying public.

Even today, if it gets aired at one of the retro nights I occasionally drop into, I’ll sit on my backside and sulk rather than strut my stuff on the dance floor.  And as I do, I will quietly laugh at any couples who use the occasion to act out a Glenn/Carol sing-song fantasy with one another.

mp3 : Heaven 17 – Temptation

I’m sort of enjoying doing these negative pieces for therapeutic reasons.  But please, as ever, feel free to disagree.

JC

PS : BONUS POSTING ON THE WAY LATER TODAY….TRY NOT TO MISS IT!!!!

 

Various - 2017

FROM OUR SWEDISH CORRESPONDENT

A GUEST POSTING by MARTIN ELLIOT

Sweden (it’s not at all quiet on the Eastern front)

2017 has been a fantastic music year, one of the best in ages – and so also in Sweden. The title of this post as many of you might recognize alludes to the 1978 track by The Stranglers.

Nowadays the world knows better, what we call the Swedish musical wonder invades the hit lists around the globe with songs written and produced by Max Martin and others for artists like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and many more, but also we have given you Robyn (UK no 1!) and Tove Lo to mention a few. From 2017 I have chosen 6 tracks that have not bothered the hit lists around the world, but should have in my opinion – as a taster of what sounded at the Eastern front this year.

Up Side.

A1. Makthaverskan – Witness. Pop punkers Makthaverskan from Gothenburg released their 3rd album in October, aptly named III (after earlier releases I and II). Luckily they put more energy in their music than album titles… This track is a re-recorded version of an RSD 2015 single, and is trade mark Makthaverskan indie-pop-punk.

A2. Simian Ghost – When You’re Ready. They’ve been around since 2010 and have moved between indie synth pop, Beach Boys and this time ended up in something very joyous, and danceable, indie relying more on guitars than before. I have earlier occasionally seen them around in the blogosphere, this time the album was far to good to ignore.

A3. Jens Lekman – What’s That Perfume That You Wear? (acapella intro version). One of few Swedish artists I’ve seen around at TVV, Jens got praise for his latest release some time ago. I’ve followed Jens since he started out in Gothenburg as Rocky Dennis many years ago. This year’s album sees him more upbeat than the previous album, connected to the 10 year old, fantastic, Night Falls Over Kortedala album. This version of the single was on a postcard shaped flexi included in the limited box set release of Life Will See You Now.

Up All Night Side.

B1. Stockholm Noir (feat Ofelia) – Boy Like A Girl. Semi secret Stockholm Noir has released a bunch of fantastic club tracks this year, this being my absolute favourite. Makes you want to dance all night. Club/Dance music at it’s best!

B2. Göteborgselektronikerna – Andra Lång (Dödselectro remix). Just as Stockholm Noir these rather anonymous guys have their home town in the band name. Göteborgselektronikerna (from Göteborg/Gothenburg) is Sweden’s version of Kraftwerk, last year they released the very Kraftwerkish album Nattrafik (Night Traffic) with all songs about the tram system in Gothenburg. The song Hållplatz (Tram ztop) contains the names of all stops along one of the tram lines, very Kraftwerk. Not only copy cats though, they do add something of their own to it. 2017 saw the release of a more club aimed remix EP including this track. Do check the album!

B3. Magnus Carlson – Fallna Hjältar (Fallen Heroes). Magnus, when not making middle age men cry with his heart broken songs in Weeping Willows, is our Northern Soul warrior. Taken from this year’s Den Långa Vägen Hem (The Long Way Home) this wrench my heart out ballad closes our night out. Time to walk the long snowy streets back home.

From the Eastern front – all the best for 2018!

Trivia 1. The Stranglers even recorded a version in Swedish.
Trivia 2. They wrote the track after having been forced off stage and been chased away by Swedish greasers, after which they cancelled the tour in Sweden…
Trivia 3. Swedish punk rockers The Rude Kids replied with the song “Stranglers (If It’s Quiet Why Don’t You Play).

=================================================
Let me tell you about Sweden
Only country where the clouds are interesting
Big brother says it’s the place to go

Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time, too little to do
‘Cos it’s all quiet on the Eastern front

Fluctuations at a minimum
Hypochondriac tombstone
Sense of humour’s gone astray somewhere

Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time, too little to do
‘Cos it’s all quiet on the Eastern front

Cumulus nimbus floats by

Fluctuations at a minimum
Hypochondriac tombstone
Big brother says it’s the place to go

It’s all quiet on the Eastern front
(All quiet on the Eastern front)
It’s all quiet on the Eastern front
(All quiet on the Eastern front)
It’s all quiet on the Eastern front
It’s all
Quiet

MARTIN

JC adds……

Trivia 2 : mp3 : The Stranglers – Sweden (All Quiet on the Eastern Front)
Trivia 1 : mp3 : The Stranglers – Sverige (Jag är insnöad pä östfronten)
Trivia 3 : mp3 : The Rude Kids – Stranglers (If It’s Quiet Why Don’t You Play)

 

Johnny Marr, Steve Mason

POST #1718

Good morning/afternoon/evening folks.

Monday 8 January 2018…the first day of the first full working week of the new year and the day when this little corner of the internet is supposed to return to normal business after all the re-hashed stuff over the festive period, albeit the posts were all worthy of being resurrected from the wreckage of the old place.

I’ve been giving things some thought over the past few weeks. I’ll admit to still suffering somewhat from an extended bout of blog fatigue, but in some ways that’s to be expected after more than 11 years of churning out cliché after cliché. The most annoying thing is that the fatigue has somewhat extended itself into me not having the time and/or inclination to keep up with the work of so many great talents out there, although I did, late last week, start the process of playing catch-up and will continue to do so over the coming days.

Part of the issue is that I haven’t been properly managing all that comes with trying to keep T(n)VV relevant and meaningful. This has happened a few times in the past but there’s always been something, like a new album, a tour or an event, to come along and enthuse me in some way that has delivered the required kick up the arse.

This year, and maybe it is grumy old man syndrome, but I’ve gotten increasingly bitter and disillusioned about the rip-off factor, whether it is attached to the cost of buying new vinyl or getting to gigs – assuming of course you can get your hands on saif vinyl if it has been released in limited editions or in fact you can access Ticketbastard and the likes in time before you have to look towards the secondary markets.  All of which has meant 2017 ended up being a year where I spent much less on my hobby than any other since I became an adult.

Don’t get me wrong – there were many highlights in the past year, not least that never to be forgotten gathering up here in Glasgow last May, meeting JTFL in Manchester and all sorts of gigs, often with Aldo riding shotgun.  LCD Soundsystem at Glasgow Barrowlands was something I never dreamed would happen to me…but it did.  And the trip to Hebden Bridge for Jens Lekman was special (as was the next day in Manchester being guided by Swiss Adam).  But there were more days when there wasn’t much motivating me to blog other than it being a habit. Shaking hands with Robert Forster and having my photo taken with him was also a memory to savour.

None of these memorable events woulf have happened without this blog, something I embarked upon in 2006 with no real long-term aim other than to shove up some long-lost b-sides that were only available on vinyl. I certainly never imagined that I would still be doing it all these years later and that it would have led to the flowering of some of the most amazing and rewarding friendships imaginable with some ridiculously talented writers and musicians.

It has also led me to do things  that weren’t ever on my radar – promoting my own gigs, helping out at merchandising stalls, contributing to and being thanked on albums/boxsets and reigniting my passion for DJing to name but a few. I’d also say that having this hobby has helped me through some very tough and painful circumstances in my personal life (for which I will always be thankful to ctel and others) and it has also inspired me in ways that have, at the fag-end of my working life/career, had a positive impact in a professional capacity.

I know that I’ve got to the stage where I can’t really imagine not doing this and, as such, so I’m not contemplating  calling it a day any time soon. I do know, however, that I need to focus a bit better, mostly by staying in my comfort zone(s) of  music of bygone days with very little reviews of new albums or gigs.

There will always be a place for such things but these will need to come via guest contributions, of which I will maintain my policy of accepting without question, unless the subject matter is offensive or degrading in some way.

As I’ve long said, there’s no such thing as a bad song – it’s just that some songs aren’t quite to my taste and I can’t bring myself to say anything positive about them. The same goes for singers and bands. I’m no fan of, for instance, Coldplay, but I do admire the fact that KT and many others can be so enthusiastic about Chris and the boys and champion their work in such an informative, engaging and enjoyable way. Anyone is free to throw over an ICA Vol 2…..I will not be so childish with my responses this time round (a joke that seemed funny at the time but badly backfired on us who took part in it and left a lot of guilty feelings).

Talking of ICAs…..the long-running series is the thing I’m most proud of on this blog. It’s incredible to think that almost two-thirds of them have come from guest contributors; it is the perfect illustration of how I want T(n)VV to be a collective rather than the work of one 50-something fat and balding bloke who has no kids to direct him to what he should be listening to nowadays instead of wallowing in the delights of antiques.

I’ve decided that I’m not going to lose my enthusiasm through striving for a posting every single day from now on, although I do, as it happens, have enough just about enough ideas and things to see me through to Easter.  I’ve had something of an obsession in posting every day, partly as it seemed to be meeting what was an ever-increasing demand based on the number of visitors and hits going up on a year-by-year basis; however, the stats for 2017 showed something of a drop – down by 10% on 2016 – although the number of comments left behind was higher than before.

These figures are no real surprise given that more and more folk seem to be moving away from reading blogs to consuming their info via shorter and more immediate forms of social media and many bloggers have adjusted things accordingly.  I take a lot of comfort from the fact that those who do come in here on a frequent basis seem to revel in the length and format of the posts with many readers very happy to offer their views and opinions – the regulars know who you are and I’m hugely grateful for all you do.

So that’s sort of the T(n)VV manifesto for 2018 and beyond. In summary, more of the same rubbish but possibly with less frequency. I do hope you continue to enjoy the ride.

Oh, there’s one more thing. This blog is now going to avoid, as best as it can, all mentions of Morrissey as a solo artist.  He pissed me off big style last year and he’s now beyond defending.  I haven’t even glanced at his latest album. I will occasionally sing the praises of The Smiths – they still mean so much to me and if anything, Johnny is trying extra hard to rectify the sins of his former sparring partner.

I really think the title of a Steve Mason song provides a good way to sign off for today.  You’ll be pleased to hear there’s no moaning tomorrow as there’s a guest contribution – from our Swedish Correspondent, no less.

mp3 : Steve Mason – Words In My Head

Cheers

JC

PS : I typed all this out a few days ago, clearly with a troubled mind.  But there, seemingly, is an explanation.  My wee note of ‘welcome back’ to the The Sound of Being OK crew was posted to their office – KT seemingly is an expert on profiling folk based on their handwriting.  She has declared to SWC and Tim that I’m a psychopath.  She might be onto something…

New Order

THE NEW ORDER SINGLES (Part 13)

The LP Brotherhood had been released to mixed reviews in September 1986, and as mentioned last time out, the non-LP single State of the Nation hadn’t charted all that highly in comparison to the singles from 83/84.

The solution? Take one of the more upbeat songs from the album, give it a bit of a remix and issue it is a single. The outcome….a brilliant 12″ single that sold dismally and limped to #56 in the singles charts. But it has become the most covered New Order song of them all – wiki lists more than 20 different versions (while admitting the list isn’t exhaustive) – it’s a song that also been recorded successfully in the Cantonese and Mandarin languages.

Loads out there, even featuring New Order, and I’m not going to try and get them all in today as it would take far too long.

mp3 : New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle (album version)
mp3 : New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle (7″ version)
mp3 : New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle (12″ version)

The single versions were remixed by Shep Pettibone, a then fairly well-known producer who would go onto to achieve world fame thanks to extensive work with Madonna in the late 80s and early 90s.

Here’s the b-sides:-

mp3 : New Order – Bizarre Dub Triangle (7″ version)
mp3 : New Order – Bizarre Dub Triangle (12″ version)

A few others…..

mp3 : New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle 94

This was produced by Stephen Hague for inclusion in the Best of New Order compilation CD

mp3 : New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle (Richard X extended mix)
mp3 : New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle (Crystal Method extended mix)

These were from compilation albums entitled Future Retro, released in 2005, and which gave 21st Century remixes to 80s electro/indie hits.

Of them all, I don’t think you can better Pettibone’s original 12″ effort….also worth noting that although, as with all New Order songs it is attributed to all four members, Hooky gives the credit for this one to Stephen Morris.

Oh what the hell….

mp3 : Sandy Lam – Bizarre Love Triangle (Mandarin version)
mp3 : Post Modern Jukebox – Bizarre Love Triangle

The latter is described, somewhat accurately, as a Burt Bacharach style take on the song.

JC

French Impressionists

SATURDAY’S SCOTTISH SONG : #107 : THE FRENCH IMPRESSIONISTS

I’m actually going to offer up a bunch of songs today…it turned out to be a nice coincidence that The French Impressionists came round alphabetically for this series today as I can justify going back into the vaults and reproducing this piece from 6 July 2009:-

The French Impressionists were a jazz ensemble, formed in Glasgow by pianist and songwriter Malcolm Fisher around the end of 1980/beginning of 1981. Their first demo was recorded in June 1981. It was a session engineered by Davey Henderson, and Malcolm roped in Paul Quinn to sing, Roddy Frame to play guitar and Campbell Owens, another member of Aztec Camera, to play bass. Oh and Edwyn Collins seemingly lent a hand on the writing and arrangements. Here’s what they came up with:-

mp3 : The French Impressionists – Boo Boo’s Gone Mambo
mp3 : The French Impressionists – My Guardian Angel

Malcolm then formed a proper band in 1982 first with singer Beatrice Colin (who I’ve previously featured on TVV as lead singer with the short lived April Showers), drummer Barry Ross and bassist Paul Yacoubian, but played just four gigs as well as recording just four songs for a further demo, including this:-

mp3 : The French Impressionists – Rainbows Never End

After the demo, Beatrice was sacked (and to be fair, I don’t think her voice was remotely suited to a jazz band). Among those who were auditioned as a replacement was Eddi Reader, later of course to find fame with Fairground Attraction. In the end, it was a former hairdresser and dancer named Louise Ness who landed the gig, and in September 1982, the debut 12″ single was issued by Les Disques du Crepescule:-

mp3 : The French Impressionists – Pick Up The Rhythm

The band then began to play a number of live dates in Glasgow and London, and recruited a second vocalist named Margaret Murphy. A short while later, she changed her name to Katy Murphy and became a very successful actress, first coming to attention in the BBC series Tutti Frutti, alongside the likes of Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson and Richard Wilson.

At the time, there was a bit of a jazz revival being promoted in the UK music papers, and the French Impressionists were being talked up as the next big thing, even to the extent that it was suggested Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet would produce their material once they signed to a major label. More demos were recorded, more gigs played in Glasgow (I caught them twice within a fortnight playing at Night Moves, which was then the premier venue for up and coming bands…I was going through a particularly pretentious period in my life!!), and this Xmas single was recorded:-

mp3 – The French Impressionists – Santa Baby

But the interest was never followed up, and the band dissolved in early 1983, having been in existence for little more than a year.

Malcolm Fisher then hooked up with a London-based vocalist and tried to get Crespuscule interested in some demos and maybe an album, but nothing came of it. Malcolm went back to Glasgow, while the singer stayed in London, in due course hooking up with other jazz/soul musicians. Her name was Sade…..

Malcolm got involved in the visual arts side of things for a while but returned to usic again at the turn of the century, writing and recording under both his own name and that of The French Impressionists. He now lives in Milan.

JC

Saint Etienne

A REPEAT OF A REPEAT……

AS SEEN OVER AT THE OLD BLOG ON 14 OCTOBER 2009

Back in May 2008, my dear friend ctel from the fantastic Acid Ted blogspot, came in and hi-jacked TVV while I was away sunning myself on holiday. To be fair, I asked him to look after the shop while I was gone, and he did so in his own distinctive and entertaining style with a short series called Confessions On The Dance Floor.

One of the songs he featured was the Andrew Weatherall mix of an early St Etienne single, which itself was a cover of a Neil Young track from days of old. Here’s what ctel said:-

After all the good taste that is 45 45s @ 45, some more of those dirty little musical secrets we all have. None of that post-modern “guilty pleasures” nonsense.

Next up, Neil Young. Yeah, you were lauded in the sixties. Can’t you stop now. Your whingy voice irritates me. But we all have to pretend that he’s a genius.

The only track worth anything to me is “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”. The third track on Neil Young’s album After the Gold Rush. The song was supposedly written for Graham Nash after Nash’s split from Joni Mitchell. Released as a single in October 1970, it became Young’s first top 40 hit as a solo artist, peaking at number thirty three in the U.S. Musically, the song consists of the same three chords; D, G, A; repeated until the end.

Actually, I don’t like Neil’s verison. The only version worth a damn is by St Etienne. In 1990, Saint Etienne recorded a cover version of the song, included on their debut album Foxbase Alpha. According to Wikipedia “This cover is relatively faithful to the original but is arranged in 4/4 (as opposed to the original’s waltz time), with a driving piano-bass-drum section.” Whatever. What is important is that the genius that is Andrew Weatherall later remixed the song to further emphasise the dub bassline.

Get some Vera’s, spark up and listen

This was their debut single and it features Moira Lambert on vocals as it pre-dates Sarah Cracknell joining the band. And although I’ve loved plenty of St Etienne releases over the years, I don’t think they ever surpassed this piece of magic:-

mp3 : St Etienne – Only Love Can Break Your Heart
mp3 : St Etienne – Filthy (featuring Q-Tee)
mp3 : St Etienne – Only Love Can Break Your Heart (a mix of two halves by Andrew Weatherall)

Oh and I know fine well that this is the 1991 re-issue of the single….I was never hip enough to buy it first time around….but then again my purchase did help it become the bands first Top 40 hit. Oh and another thing – while they are now known as Saint Etienne, you can see from the cover of the CD single that they were St Etienne in those days….

Allez les vertes.

JC

Lloyd Cole & The Commotions

MISERABLE BASTARDS?

AS SEEN OVER AT THE OLD BLOG ON 3 MARCH 2009

During a career that spanned 1984-1987, Lloyd Cole & The Commotions were one of those bands that divided opinion. To some, they were part of an era that gave us a great cannon of intelligent indie-pop (see also The Go-Betweens and The Smiths), but to others they were a bunch of boring musos led by a pretentious poet with a deadly dull delivery.

Personally, I loved them.

Formed by a bunch of students in Glasgow in the early 80s, they were signed to Polydor Records and put on a fast road to stardom. Just about everyone I associated with in 1984 owned a copy of debut LP Rattlesnakes, while the lead-off single Perfect Skin was high up on most people’s ‘best of’ lists at the time. However, none of the subsequent singles cracked the Top 40, so the record label insisted that the follow-up LP be produced by someone with a track record of singles success….

And so Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley were dispatched to work with the band, and just 12 months later, Easy Pieces was unleashed on the public. A far more polished and poppy affair, it did yield three hit singles and got them out of the pages of the NME and into Smash Hits.

Problem was, it also started to unleash tensions within the band….and it took two years to release their next LP which was tellingly entitled Mainstream, a piece of work that somehow managed to contain some of their finest recordings but also some really dull and unmemorable songs, not helped by many of Lloyd’s lyrics becoming ever more melancholy. It was an LP of a band at a crossroads.

But instead of taking time out to solve things, they broke-up. Lloyd Cole went on to enjoy a solo career that continues to this day. Neil Clark, Blair Cowan and Stephen Irvine went onto to form other bands while Lawrence Donegan became a journalist and later an author.

In 2004, they got back together for a very short tour to mark the 20th Anniversary of Rattlesnakes, including a tremendous gig at Glasgow Barrowlands (trivia fact….they were supported that night by a then little known James Blunt….who was every bit as nauseatingly bland and boring as you’d imagine).

In total, there were 9 singles released by Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, of which five made the Top 40. Their final effort was a four-track EP that played at 33 1/3 rpm, with a remix of a track from Mainstream and three new songs.

mp3 : Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – From The Hip (remix)
mp3 : Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Please
mp3 : Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Lonely Mile
mp3 : Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Love Your Wife

I think you can tell from the lyrics in the chorus that this was a bunch of guys unhappy with their lot:-

I don’t care anymore
I’m sick and I’m tired
And I don’t care anymore
This one’s from the hip
Why should I know why?
It’s a wicked world

In a parallel universe, I’d like to think that someone like Lloyd Cole is being worshipped as a musical god….and has made millions.

JC

Sugarcubes

ON A DUSTY SHELF IN A CHARITY SHOP

AS SEEN OVER AT THE OLD BLOG ON 12 FEBRUARY 2009

This is a single I’ve been hopeful of finding for a while, and I finally got my hands on a copy when I was out the other week with Ed from 17 Seconds browsing around a Glasgow charity store.

I bought Regina on 12″ when it was released back in 1989 as I thought that would be the way to get the most unusual version of the song – i.e. sung in Icelandic. What I wasn’t aware of until about five years later when I heard the song played in a pub I was sitting in was that the double-pack 7″ had two other versions under the title Propeller vs Jet. I was kicking myself thinking that my chance to ever own something that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the solo stuff Bjork was releasing had gone forever.

But being given a USB turntable got me collecting vinyl again after the best part of 15 years….and as I said earlier, I picked it up in the most unexpected of places.

And so, for (what was) the first time in TVV history, here’s four versions of the same songs in the one sitting. I’ll apologise if you really don’t like lobster……

mp3 : The Sugarcubes – Regina (extended)
mp3 : The Sugarcubes – Regina (Icelandic vocal)
mp3 : The Sugarcubes – Regina (Propeller vs Jet Part 1)
mp3 : The Sugarcubes – Regina (Propeller vs Jet Part 2)

Here’s the other two tracks that were put on this limited edition double-pack:-

mp3 : The Sugarcubes – Hey
mp3 : The Sugarcubes – Hot Meat

They are strictly b-side material, quite experimental in nature and with a vocal delivery that would subsequently become familiar to music fans all over the world.

I should also say that the sound quality of the recordings of the Propeller v Jet versions aren’t great….not the best vinyl pressing I’ve ever bought.  You’ll likely need to turn the volume up.

JC

Freeze

A GUEST POST FROM THE VAULTS : THE FREEZE

JC writes…..I thought I’d kick off 2018 with a guest post. One from one of my oldest mates, Mr John Greer, who was a prolific contributor to the old blog, often on music and bands that many of us either didn’t know to begin with, or had long forgotten about.  This originally appeared on 30 May 2010…..

The Freeze, not to be confused with the South London soul-funk group Freez, were formed in 1976 at Linlithgow Academy in Central Scotland, a school that was also attended by Alan Rankine co-founder of the Associates.

The main songwriter and singer Gordon Sharp was a flamboyant dresser with a gender twisting style, more of later.

As much as anything the music scene in the East of Scotland in the late ‘70’s was vibrant with groups playing a wide variety of pubs.

Two such venues were the Cunzie Neuk in Kinghorn and the Dutch Mill in Kirkcaldy. The Cunzie Neuk will always be remembered for its legendary carpet that stuck to your feet with every step. It was a combination of deep pile and McEwan’s Export.

I saw The Freeze play both pubs with their mixture of glam, punk and art rock with small dollop of Goth. Gordon Sharp loved dressing up in sequenced dresses with fishnet tights. This came in very handy after a gig at the Dutch Mill when my friend Hamish McIntosh lost a contact lens – it was only retrieved when Gordon stood on it wearing his fishnets and the lens got caught in his tights……..

I also came home to Kirkcaldy one Friday after work at St Andrews University to be told, that another friend, George “Dod” Fenton, would be picking me up at 6.30 pm and we would going to a pub in deepest darkest Dundee to see The Freeze play.

Now Dod was the scariest driver I had ever or to this day travelled with in a car. He owned a Hillman Hunter and he thought nothing of overtaking five other road users in the one manoeuvre. It was my first experience of a “white knuckle ride”, not helped by knowingg that he had written off his previous vehicle coming back from a Skids gig in Aberdeen after hitting black ice outside Montrose and rolling the car, an accident in which all occupants had miraculously walked away safely.

We survived the journey to Dundee but I didn’t think I’d survive the gig in one of Dundee’s depressive housing estate pubs when Gordon took to the makeshift stage area dressed in a flowing purple dress to a chorus of “look at that POOF!!!!”

The Freeze set featured cover versions of Roxy Music’s Virginia Plain and Eno’s Baby’s on Fire as well their own favourites Paranoia and Psychodalek Nightmares.

mp3 : The Freeze – Psychodalek Nightmares

They had two independently released singles the In Colour EP and Celebration and they went on to make two sessions for John Peel’s Radio One Show.

mp3 : The Freeze – Location (Peel Session)
mp3 : The Freeze – From The Bizarre (Peel Session)

In the summer of 1981, Dod Fenton and I went on holiday to Kavos in Corfu, I took with me a cassette containing one of the John Peel sessions. Our accommodation was above a taverna, the owner Terry was good enough to allow me to play the session tape over his music system as we sat under the stars enjoying our evening meal and drinking into the night.

In 1982, Gordon Sharp and fellow songwriter David Clancy relocated to London and changed the band name to Cindytalk.

Little known trivia fact – Gordon joined some near neighbours of his who lived in the town of Grangemouth when they recorded their own second Peel session – his near neighbours being The Cocteau Twins…..

In 1984 Cindytalk released their first album Camouflage Heart.

mp3 : Cindytalk – Of Ghosts & Buildings

The same year Sharp joined the afore-mentioned Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie to record It’ll End in Tears under the moniker This Mortal Coil; he also provided vocals for three other tracks, including the indie chart-topping Kangaroo, which was included in John Peel’s highly thought of festive 50 from 1984.

mp3 : This Mortal Coil – Kangaroo

To this day Cindytalk continue to produce experimental electronic music and are highly thought of throughout the world. In October 2009 they played Edinburgh for the first time ever. I’ll confess however, that I find their current output takes some listening to.

I prefer the fact that late last year (2009), Dod’s brother Ian Fenton gave me mp3 copies of the John Peel sessions recorded by the Freeze.

It was great to take me back to that time in my life. Now, to complete the experience in full, I’m going to pour some beer on the carpet to make my feet stick while eating my tarmasolata and kebab.

John Greer, Sunday 30 May 2010

New Order

30, 20, 10 (Part 9)

The combined efforts of Nina Simone and Dizzee Rascal provided this series with a stay of execution.  I’m not holding out too much hope for today given that the rules of the indie chartplacings, especially in the 90s, gave rise to major labels using loopholes, and this is the time of year when novelty records can be all the rage.  If so, I’ll take some consolation from the fact that fewer people visit here during holiday periods.

1 January 1988 : mp3 : New Order – Touched by the Hand of God

Now this was a surprise.  A song that will feature very soon in another long-running series and so I’ll leave the commentary until then.  The reason I said surprise is that I can’t really recall this being a Xmas-time release, but it did go to #1 in the indie charts in early December and held the spot for a very impressive six weeks.

1 January 1998 : Steps – 5,6,7,8

Quickly moving on…..

1 January 2008 : Shaun The Sheep – Life’s A Treat

As I was saying about novelty records.  This was on Tug Records, a label that mostly issued material by Right Said Fred….I’ll leave it at that.

Roll on next month.

New Order

THE NEW ORDER SINGLES (Part 12)

Single #12 appeared in September 1986.

As usual, I bought the 12″ version.  Took it home and played it and found myself a tad underwhelmed.  It seemed a tad flimsy and basic compared to some of the most recent work.  There were bits of it sounded OK but it just didn’t hang together all that well.  It also sounded strange to hear New Order try to make something of a political statement:-

mp3 : New Order – State of the Nation (12″ version)

Flipped it over to the b-side, and judging by its title was anticipating a remix, which is exactly what it proved to be:-

mp3 : New Order – Shame of the Nation (12″ version)

I actually got more out of the slightly longer b-side with its more clubby production and the addition of female backing vocals – something that hadn’t worked with Sub-Culture a short time previously now seemed to make sense.

It was only a few years later when playing both sides of the single again to see if I was now any more fond of the a-side that I spotted something about the credits.  State of the Nation is attributed to New Order while Shame of the Nation is the work of New Order and John Robie.

I still think the b-side would have made a better a-side if that makes sense, and would probably have gotten higher than #30 in the singles chart….it was a big drop in sales from Blue Monday, Confusion and Thieves Like Us, and while everyone at Factory would say they weren’t all that bothered, it must have irked the band and their entourage somewhat that they were beginning to be written off by some of the music press.

I picked up the 7″ not too long afterwards as it was one that ended up quickly in the bargain bins.  These are heavily edited versions of those found on the 12″:-

mp3 : New Order – State of the Nation (7″ version)
mp3 : New Order – Shame of the Nation (7″ version)

According to wiki, the 7″ version of Shame is only available via this piece of plastic or as the b-side to a subseqent Australian single.

Not one that I return to all that often….it’s not their finest moment.

JC

Fratellis

SATURDAY’S SCOTTISH SONG : #106 : THE FRATELLIS

from wiki:-

The Fratellis are a Scottish rock band from Glasgow, formed in 2005. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli (born John Lawler), bass guitarist Barry Fratelli (born Barry Wallace), and drummer and backing vocalist Mince Fratelli (born Gordon McRory). They have released four studio albums and thirteen singles since their breakthrough in 2006. They won in the category Best British Breakthrough Act at the 2007 BRIT Award.

It is fair to say that they arrived with a bang as debut LP Costello Music sold over a million copies in the UK thanks to a range of catchy sing-along tunes that captured the imagination, in particular, of the boozed up festival crowds.

I actually didn’t mind the band too much to begin with, although like just about everyone else, I got heartily sick of hearing Chelsea Dagger on TV, radio and as the accompaniment to goals being scored at football grounds up and down the country. Mrs V was a fan and so I accompanied her to see the band play on a headlining tour that included a gig at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh, probably my least favourite location to see any singer or band thanks to its dreadful acoustics and sight lines. The Fratellis, I’m sorry say, were pretty lousy that night – even Mrs V was disappointed. Neither of us have paid much attention to them since – indeed I thought they had broken up a while back but there’s news of a new album and tour in early 2018.

I listened again to snippets of the songs on the debut album. It hasn’t dated all that well…..this is one of the better ones.

mp3 : The Fratellis – Cuntry Boys and City Girls

JC

Travis

I COULDN’T HAVE PUT IT ANY BETTER MYSELF

AS SEEN OVER AT THE OLD BLOG ON 22 JUNE 2009

The background to this post is that, in June 2009, I had been seeking a way to write a critique of why I really detested the hit single I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry, but somehow never quite got down what exactly I was looking for as my words made me look like a real music snob while they also veered uncomfortably towards homophobia.

And then I discovered that Coxon Le Woof, of the now very occasional blog To Die By Your Side, had nailed it with a great piece of writing:-

Sometimes music isn’t just about music and lyrics.

It’s about context.

You could easily dismiss ‘I Kissed A Girl’ as little more than a catchy pop song.

The question is, should you?

Is music just entertainment or should it have some kind of social or moral responsibility? Now, I’m more than aware that last sentence makes me sound like an old fuddy duddy and spits in the face of everything that rock and roll is supposed to stand for but hey, maybe I am. Maybe I’m overanalysing it. Taking it too seriously. Either that or I’m a closet Daily Mail reader in disguise and this post should simply read ‘Ban This Filth!.

You see, while it may attempt to pass itself off as some kind of lesbian liberation anthem, I can’t help but find this song insulting and derogatory. Sung by the kind of social tourist that Pulp lampooned so well in ‘Common People’. Yet we’re supposed to accept that or ignore it because it comes wrapped in a slick, shiny bubble gum pop wrapper. We’re meant to accept it because flirting with lesbianism has been deemed cool. We’re meant to accept it because Katy Perry is an attractive, non threatening female. And we’re meant to accept it because she’s straight. I mean, imagine if she actually was gay. But then why waste your time imagining that?

Oh wait, no, that’s what we’re supposed to do isn’t it, because the whole thing is cynically designed to titillate us. So long as we remember that she’s not actually gay. This is the same kind of faux lesbianism that floods the insides of so called lads mags. The media constructed myth that lesbians are okay so long as they’re attractive to men. A lipstick lesbian cliche. Besides, we all know they love a bit of cock really, right guys?!?!

Wrong. This song does nothing to advance the acceptance of gays and lesbians in society. It trivialises an important issue. Mocks it. Leaves a series of outdated attitudes in it’s wake while strengthening stereotypes and doing lord knows what damage to both gay and feminist movements. But then what do I know? I mean, I’m not a girl and I’m not a gay girl so what do I know? Why should I worry? Why should I care?

Well I care because I worry what this song says to the kids it’s aimed at. In the same way that I worry about the over sexualised lyrics and imagery that a band like The Pussycat Dolls portrays to impressionable young girls. What are vulnerable girls supposed to take from this? That this is how they have to behave to attract boys? And what of those who are questioning their sexuality? Are they supposed to assume it’s just a phase? Won’t it just add to their confusion? Or am I missing the point? Maybe it is just a bit of fun?

Like I said, it’s all about context. If this song were written and sung by a lesbian then yeah, maybe it would be a proud, defiant anthem. A celebration. But it’s not, it’s about context.

And if you don’t believe that context alters a song, listen to this version by Travis. It’s the reason why I’m ranting a year and a half after the song came out and I think you’ll get a whole different take on it. No strangers to interesting cover versions, here Travis give the song a treatment that manages to start out seemingly innocent, coy and sweet yet somehow ends up seeming strangely creepy and sinister.

mp3 : Travis – I Kissed A Girl (live in session)

That final sentence, composed in the summer of 2009, describes the horror for any actress or starlet who had the misfortune to be offered career opportunities by Harvey Weinstein.

JC

Urusei Yatsura

ALWAYS FONDLY REMEMBERED ROUND THESE PARTS

AS SEEN OVER AT THE OLD BLOG ON 22 JANUARY 2009

Glasgow’s very own Urusei Yatsura are one of those bands who really should have been far more famous than they turned out to be. They were largely an out and out pop band with a sound that was influenced by so many others….Sonic Youth in terms of the guitars….a hint of Pavement in respect of weird lyrics…..glam-rock as evidenced by the Glitter Band style chants……the buzz and feedback of the Jesus & Mary Chain…..and the delights and harmonies of Teenage Fanclub…and yet, they somehow always semed to make distinctive records.

They were particularly productive between 1994 and early 1998, but then problems linked to their record label, Che Trading, going bust had led to a near two-year hiatus just as they were really getting a head of steam. Well, just the other day and much to my surprise, I came across a mint copy of their comeback record from late 1999, released on Beggars Banquet, in a second-hand shop.

Consisting of 2 x 7″ singles (on white vinyl no less), I am delighted to bring you the Yon Kyoku EP:-

mp3 : Urusei Yatsura – Kaytronika
mp3 : Urusei Yatsura – Still Exploding
mp3 : Urusei Yatsura – Nobody Knows We’re Stars
mp3 : Urusei Yatsura – Mother of the MBK

To all the acts that I mentioned in the pre-amble, I think I’ll now add Jimi Hendrix, as the first few seconds of Kaytronika remind me an awful lot of his Foxy Lady….

It’s a great wee EP – Still Exploding is akin to the sort of songs that the band had been turning out a couple of years earlier, but tracks 3 and 4 are a bit different and indeed unexpected. Nobody Knows We’re Stars is the bitter and melancholic sort of lyric and tune I’d expect from Luke Haines, while Mother of the MBK, with a slow build up to something approaching a wall of noise, is along the lines of what would emerge a few years later in the sounds of The Twilight Sad……

JC

PS

Tomorrow will revisit an old post from June 2009, the closing line of which sent a shiver down my spine in connection with one of the main new stories to emerge in 2017.

Seona Dancing

BEFORE HE WAS FAMOUS

AS SEEN OVER AT THE OLD BLOG ON 21 SEPTEMBER 2009

Take a close look at the sleeve, and in particular the bloke in the foreground. Vaguely familiar?

Yup, you’re right……it is top comedian Ricky Gervais.

Back in 1982, during his last year at University, Ricky, together with his mate Bill Macrae formed a synth-pop duo called Seona Dancing and set out to take the world by storm. Signed to London Records, the duo got no further than a couple of flop singles in 1983, neither of which troubled the charts. But they must have got played on the radio, as I wouldn’t have bought their debut effort without having heard it beforehand:-

mp3 : Seona Dancing – More To Lose (extended version)
mp3 : Seona Dancing – You’re On My Side

I’ve done a bit of research and discovered that More To Lose was classified as reaching #113 in the charts (I didnt know the numbers stretched that far), while follow-up Bitter Heart did marginally better, reaching #70.

JC

PS

The posting back in 2009 wasn’t the first time that I’d mentioned this synth-pop duo and it was triggered by an episode of Flight Of The Conchords when the boys changed their image thanks to hair-gel and I immediately thought of Ricky’s first efforts at stardom as can be seen from the promo to Bitter Heart:-

I was quite stunned when I went to Discogs to get a copy of the sleeve to accompany this posting to discover that a mint 12″ copy of this single, which mine almost is, can fetch about £150. Either there are a lot of folk looking for this piece of history or Ricky is buying up all available copies and destroying them!

Happy Mondays and Karl Denver

A TAD TENUOUS

Bummed, the album released by Happy Mondays in 1988, is, by any definition a classic of its time that has aged rather well, partly as a result of the quality of the songs but also the great production from Martin Hannett.

One of its tracks, Lazyitis, was remixed and given the new title Lazyitis – One Armed Boxer.  This version featured Karl Denver, a Glasgow-born singer (his real name was Angus Murdo McKenzie which is about as Scottish as it gets), who had enjoyed a string of yodelling hits in the UK at the beginning of the 60s.

mp3 : Happy Mondays feat Karl Denver – Lazyitis – One Armed Boxer

You have to admit that the cast who came together alongside the Happy Mondays to compose this song – Lennon/McCartney, David Essex and Sly & The Family Stone – is fairly impressive!

It’s here today as 26 December is known as Boxing Day in the UK…and there was no chance that I’d feature the Morrissey song about that sport, so Happy Mondays it is (even though it is a Tuesday)

JC

New Order

THE NEW ORDER SINGLES (Part 11)

The fact that John Robie had made such a pig’s ear out of the Sub-Culture remix didn’t stop New Order teaming up with him for the next single which hit the shops less than six months later in March 1986:-

mp3 : New Order – Shellshock (7″ version)

The song was put together for inclusion on the soundtrack to the movie Pretty in Pink and indeed that was where you could first pick it, about four weeks prior to Factory issuing it as a single.  As a poorly-paid admin worker at the time when choices had to be made about paying rent/buying food/going out for vodka/purchasing vinyl, I skipped buying the album and waited instead to ensure my collection of 12″ singles remained intact:-

mp3 : New Order – Shellshock (12″ version)

Indeed, I didn’t pick up the 7″ until many years later, inspired to find vinyl again after starting this blog.  Its b-side was an instrumental of Thieves Like Us, as featured previously in this series.

The 12″ on the other hand, had a dub mix of the new song as its b-side:-

mp3 : New Order – Shellcock

Also worth mentioning that the 12″ version came in at not far short of ten minutes, and has the distinction of being the longest single they committed to vinyl.  It was some almost four minutes longer than the version that was made available via the Pretty In Pink soundtrack and it was also edited down substantially for inclusion on the subsequent Substance compilation, omitting one of the verses.

mp3 : New Order – Shellshock (Substance version)

The collaboration with John Robie was crucial in this instance as Shellshock was inspired in the studio by a club hit from 1983 that Robie had produced and indeed performed on:-

mp3 : C-Bank (feat Jenny Burton) – One More Shot

Shellshock reached #28 in the UK singles chart but hit #1 in the indie singles chart.

I think its fair to say it has proven to be one of their most enduring singles….it’s certainly one that I don’t get bored with.

 

JC

Franz Ferdinand

SATURDAY’S SCOTTISH SONG : #105 : FRANZ FERDINAND

The wiki summary:-

Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish indie rock band, formed in 2002 and based in Glasgow. The band’s original lineup was composed of Alex Kapranos (lead vocals and guitar, keyboard), Nick McCarthy (rhythm guitar, keyboards and backing vocals), Bob Hardy (bass guitar), and Paul Thomson (drums, percussion and backing vocals). Dino Bardot (guitar and backing vocals) and Julian Corrie (keyboards, synthesiser, guitar and backing vocals) joined the band in 2017 after McCarthy left during the previous year. The band has been notable for being one of the more popular post-punk revival bands, garnering multiple UK top 20 hits and selling over 3 million albums worldwide.

The discography consists of four studio albums, one remix album, and twenty-two singles, the most recent of which was adownload, released in October 2017, as a precursor to the new album due in February 2018.

I’ve always had a soft spot for this band, having been lucky enough to see them at small venues as well as at an arena gig when they were on the undecard for a Morrissey event in Manchester.

This is a belter of a single from the early days:-

mp3 : Franz Ferdinand – Michael

A #17 hit back in 2004.

JC