THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN

AS OWNED ON VINYL, CD AND CASSETTE

technique_poster There is someone I know who thinks New Order should have disbanded in around 1985 as the music they have made since then has betrayed everything that Joy Division stood for. Despite holding such strident and unacceptable views, he remains a dear friend…and besides it gives us one more thing to fight over when we are drunk.

Me? I’ve never hidden from the view that it took until 1989 for their masterpiece to emerge….and while there has been the occasional nugget of gold since then, I’d have been happy if this had been their last ever record.

It’s worth recalling that the release of Brotherhood in 1986 had disappointed many fans. It was, in the main, a lacklustre affair and indeed was shown up as such when the compilation LP Substance was issued the following year. The one hope was that the Greatest Hits package featured two amazing new songs – True Faith and 1963, the former a wonderful dance track driven largely by Steve & Hooky and the latter a gorgeous pop number with Barney at last penning lyrics which made sense and had a semblance of a story line.

But post-Substance, the band seemingly disappeared off the radar and some folk (including your humble scribe) thought we’d seen the last of them.

In the days before t’internet, you had to rely on the music papers for news/info on your favourite bands. One week, I read a snippet that New Order had gone to Ibiza to record a new LP. Months passed. Nothing. More months passed. Still nothing. and I assumed that somehow I had missed the news that the band had broken up.

Then, out of the blue in late 1988, a single was released. It was called Fine Time and it was really quite different from anything else they had ever previously released being, for the most part an instrumental, and which was very clearly aimed at the dance market. And I loved it.

The album kind of sneaked out in January 1989. Little did we know that the low-key release was down to Factory Records lack of cash to give it the usual big marketing/advertising push. It came out when Britain is at its most cold, miserable and wet. But this album made you forget all that.

It was everything that fulfilled the promise of True Faith/1963. There were immense dance numbers, there were songs of love, joy and happiness, and there were songs about having your heart broken into many pieces. Every song could have been a single. No that’s not true. Every song could have been a #1 single.

Thankfully, the album did sell in reasonable quantities, but not enough to arrest Factory’s eventual decline into receivership/administration. It did however lead to New Order being asked to take the sound of Technique into the football world when they penned the England Squad’s 1990 World Cup Anthem, World In Motion, which finally gave the band the #1 hit they had been chasing for a few years.

Here’s three of the lesser known songs from the album:-

mp3 : New Order – Love Less
mp3 : New Order – Mr Disco
mp3 : New Order – Vanishing Point

Enjoy.

Style Council

THE STYLE COUNCIL SINGLES (16)

This is part of my ‘lost’ period when it comes to The Style Council. As mentioned in the last posting, I hadn’t bought Wanted at the time of release and nor did I seek out any of the three EPs that came out in late 1987/early 1988:-

EP1 : Cafe Bleu : Headstart For Happiness; Here’s One That Got Away; Blue Café; Strength Of Your Nature

EP2 : The Birds and The Bees : Piccadilly Trail; It Just Came To Pieces In My Hands; Spin’ Drifting; Spring, Summer, Autumn

EP3 : Mick Talbot Is Agent 88 : Mick’s Up; Party Chambers; Mick’s Blessings; Mick’s Company

In May 1988, a new single was released, followed by the fourth studio LP the following month. I will be honest and say that up until a couple of years back, I had never heard Life At A Top People’s Health Farm as I’ve never been tempted to own a copy of the parent album, Confessions Of A Pop Group. The reviews were savage and this time I decided, having been bitten once by the contents of The Cost Of Loving, it was a case of twice shy. I’ve now got a 7″ copy, courtesy of a charity shop, and given I paid 25p for it I can’t grumble about there being a slight jump near the end, nor the fact that it is rather nondescript:-

mp3 : The Style Council – Life At A Top People’s Health Farm
mp3 : The Style Council – Sweet Loving Ways

The b-side is decent enough as a b-side but only for the jazzy guitar sound that was used to great effect on the debut album as the vocal delivery/arrangement is just soppy and clichéd.

It reached #28 in the charts which is evidence that I wasn’t alone in being a long-time fan who’d fallen out of love in a big way. The picture used on the sleeve however, would indicate that neither Paul or Mick really cared about any of that.

Enjoy.

Adam Stafford

AS PROMISED…..A LOOK AT HIS NEW VIDEO (A BONUS POSTING)

This new single isn’t all that typical of Adam Stafford, but it does show he can turn his hand to catchy pop tunes (but then again, he was great at that in the days when he was part of Scottish indie/folk band Y’All Is Fantasy Island).

Here’s what one astute reviewer has said about the new video:-

Adam Stafford is a real voice of independence.

A songwriter moving to his own, very unique, set of rules, he recently unveiled new album ‘Taser Revelations’.

Out now on Song, By Toad, it’s a wonderful record, one rich in allusion and autobiographical detail.

Album highlight ‘Phantom Billions’ has now received the visual treatment, and it veers between dreamscapes and evocative dance routines.

Check it out now.

Enjoy.

D.A.F., Ladytron, Psychic TV, Shreikback, Strange Idols

ODDS & SODS

turntable

Most of the time I do try to link in a featured song with a b-side, other songs by the same singer/band, a cover version or something vaguely linked to the era or song matter. But then there’s some songs that just can’t be handled that way and so I’ve decided to have an occasional feature that allows me to squeeze in songs of distinction and quality which would otherwise not get a chance to be listened to:-

mp3 : D.A.F. – Der Mussolini

D.A.F. is short for Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, a Dusseldorf based band who were originally with us at the tail end of the 70s and into the early 80s. I only have one of their songs, and it was downloaded from elsewhere, but it was one that I danced to a fair bit back in the student days. Don’t worry folks, it’s not a track praising the merit of the old fascist – indeed it is merely encouraging Benny boy to shake his ass with his dancing partners Adolf and Jesus. If it wasn’t for the pounding electro-beat, it’d be as camp as can be.

mp3 : Shriekback – Fish Below The Ice

Shriekback formed in 1981, initially as a trio of Barry Andrews (ex-XTC), Dave Allen (ex-Gang Of Four) and Carl Marsh. They have been an and on off project ever since, with Andrews being the only consistent member of the band. They occasionally threatened to break through in the early 80s, none more so than when the LP Oil and Gold was released in 1985; the main problem though was that the strongest songs, included that featured here, had Marsh on vocals even though he had quit Shriekback midway through the recording of the album, thus making promotional duties a tad difficult.

mp3 : Ladytron – Seventeen

Ladytron, formed in 1999, seem to still to be going strong although it’s now getting on for five years since they released what was their fifth studio LP. They were the brainchild of two Liverpool producers and DJs – Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu – but were soon joined by two female musicians, the Scottish-born Helen Marnie and Mira Aroyo from Bulgaria. They were championed by a fair few in the media, particularly the music correspondents aross a number of UK broadsheet newspapers who almost collectively predicted big things, but they never quite got beyond cult status despite making a number of more than decent singles and albums. The song featured here is a single from 2002 for which big things were anticipated but it stalled at #68.

mp3 : Psychic TV – Godstar

There’s a lot that can be written about Pyschic TV, and no doubt somebody has elsewhere. There’s a very lengthy wiki piece that I’ll refer you to. I’m not qualified to offer any opinion at all, as all I have is one mp3 that originally came courtesy of its inclusion on a cassette for me by Jacques the Kipper. It’s a song about the late Brian Jones.

mp3 : Strange Idols – She’s Gonna Let You Down

Named after an album released by Felt back in 1984, this five-piece London band seem to wear their 80s indie-op influences very much on their sleeves if this track from 2007, which I have courtesy of a compilation CD, is anything to go by. It has a wonderfully hypnotic guitar, lots of ba-ba-ba vocals from what sounds like a dreamy female lead vocalist all underpinned by a DIY production that really does hark back to an earlier period. I think my mate Aldo will love this…….

As ever, if anyone can fill in the gaps or has anything to say about the songs, then fire in via the comments section.

Park Lane Archives

THE 1,000th POSTING : THE PARK LANE ARCHIVES

ParkLane

Noteworthy day. Big thanks to everyone who has helped me get to this landmark. Too many to mention by name, but I’m including guest contributors, those who have left behind comments and/or dropped me an email, and indeed anyone who has dropped by over the previous 999 posts and had a read. Oh and the reason why there’s been a rash of bonus postings was to hit the landmark in advance of the Easter holidays…..

Park Lane Archives is a compilation CD that was released back in 2009. It consists of songs, mostly in demo or unreleased form, recorded at Park Lane Studios which are located on the south side of Glasgow. The CD comes with a 16-page booklet in which a number of the musicians explain why the studios, which from the outside really look nothing special, were an essential element in helping to create a music scene in and around the 80s and 90s. There’s also wonderful contributions from those who worked at the studios, whether on the management side or as part of the incredibly gifted recording/engineering staff.

One of the contributors makes the very accurate statement that the studios were at the centre of the affluent Scottish music scene of the 80s and furthermore, the bands, even when they gained fame and fortune, liked to remain loyal to Park Lane. One of the musicians believed this is down to it being a long room with a high ceiling that was odd-looking (it was a converted 19th century stable block) but captured a magical sound. The major labels regarded the studios very highly and were happy to have some big names head to Glasgow to work. And it wasn’t just local or Scottish bands who used them, with the likes of INXS, The Fugees, Martin Stephenson & The Daintees and the Pet Shop Boys all popping by at one time or another.

The CD has 22 tracks, and here they are together with the liner notes –

mp3 : Bourgie Bourgie – Breaking Point (demo version)

Bourgie Bourgie were tipped as the next big thing. The band had evolved from The Jazzateers, and later, evolved into Nectarine No.9. Singer Paul Quinn also recorded with Vince Clarke and Edwyn Collins and was a regular fixture of Postcard Records. Guitarist Mick Slaven has also played with Del Amitri and Ricky Ross. Park Lane in-house producer Kenny ‘Mac’ McDonald was also their drummer. This is the demo version of the single later produced by Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie, which narrowly missed the Top 40, beginning their dissolution.

mp3 : The Bluebells – Young At Heart (demo version)

The Bluebells famously scored a number one hit with this song, originally composed by Bobby Bluebell and Siobhan Fahey. Interestingly, here’s the original demo, mixed by Rab Andrew in April 1983. The final master added Valentino’s violin, who successfully sued for a songwriting credit after it fot used for a TV advert. The band also featured the McCluskey Brothers and Aztec Camera and Smiths guitarist Craig Gannon. They played a reunion gig supporting Edwyn Collins in Glasgow in 2009.

mp3 : Texas – I Don’t Want A Lover (demo version)

Here’s the demo version of the very first song written and recorded together by (Altered Images and Hipsway mainstay) Johnny McElhone and 18-year old Sharleen Spiteri. It also features Craig Armstrong on keyboards. It was later their debut and breakthrough hit single. After many successful albums they’ve taken a break; currently Sharleen is promoting her new solo album

mp3 : Del Amitri – Hammer and Peach

Led by Glaswegian troubadour Justin Currie, they attracted name producers Hugh Jones, Mark Freegard and Gil Norton to record albums at Park Lane. Del Amitri achieved numerous UK top twenty singles as well as a USA Top 10 hit. This track is an unreleased demo recorded circa 1987-ish. The song got overlooked for new material when they got to record their breakthrough ‘Waking Hours’ album. Most recently, Justin has been working solo.

mp3 : Primal Scream – Velocity Girl (alt mix)

This was Primal Scream’s raw beginning; an outtake mix from their second single, just after Bobby Gillespie left The Jesus and Mary Chain, produced by the late Bobby Paterson. Originally a b-side to ‘Crystal Crescent’ after gaining exposure on the C86 cassette it was voted no.4 in John Peel’s 1986 festive 50. They’ve sold ten million albums since then.

mp3 : Altered Images – Now That You’re Here (outtake)

Championed in their early days by Siouxsie & The Banshees and John Peel, their commercial success came in 1981 with two ‘Happy’ top 10 singles. They broke up after 3 albums. Clare Grogan went solo and became an actress, along the ay marrying band-member and producer Steve Lironi; Johnny McElhone went on to first form Hipsway and then Texas. This is an outtake version of the song.

mp3 : Jazzateers – Sixteen Reasons

The Jazzateers were formed by guitarist Ian Burgoyne and bassist Keith Band. Paul Quinn became their singer, and was then replaced by Grahame ‘Skin’ Skinner who later left to form Hipsway. Quinn rejoined as they became Bourgoie Bourgie, who were filmed for ‘The Switch’ TV show performing this track. This recording is from their 1983 Routh Trade album, with Skinner on lead vocals.

mp3 : Hipsway – Broken Years (demo)

Hipsway memorably attained the Top 20 of both the UK and US singles charts. Formed in 1984 by Jazzateers vocalist Grahame Skinner, Altered Images’ Johnny McElhone and Harry Travers. Skinner later formed a band with members of Love & Money; Johnny went on to found Texas. This recording from January 1984 is the original demo of their debut single and features Love & Money front man James Grant on lead guitar, before they discovered Pim.

mp3 : Love & Money – Candybar Express

Love & Money released four albums over a seven-year period. Singer James Grant continues as a solo artist. Bobby Paterson, who was involved in early Primal Scream and later formed ‘Poems’ with Bobby Bluebell, died in 2006. Drummer Stuart Kerr was later to join Texas. Paul McGeechan remained ensconced in Park Lane Studio, running it through to 2009. This is the 7@ mix of their 1986 debut single.

mp3 : Deacon Blue – Ribbons and Bows (demo)

Led by Ricky Ross from Dundee, Deacon Blue went on to have great success, regularly topping the UK album charts. They split for a while in the 1990’s, but are now back together again, as well as Ricky recording and performing with Lorraine McIntosh as McIntosh Ross. This track is a demo of a song that only ever appeared as an extra track on the 1987, first 12″ version of the much re-issued ‘Dignity’, their debut single release.

mp3 : Kevin McDermott Orchestra – Wheels Of Wonder (demo)

Kevin continues to release albums 25 years into his career, with or without his ‘Orchestra’, which includes drummer brother Jim who’s played with Simple Minds and numerous others. Kevin and Jim are also rumoured to be part of ‘The Uncle Devil Show’ alongside Justin Currie. This is the demo that resulted in the deal with Island Records for the ‘Mother Nature’s Kitchen’ album in 1989. Island later introduced The Pretenders Robbie McIntosh to produce and play; he in turn introduced later guitarist Marco

mp3 : Gun – Better Days (demo)

Based around brothers Giuliano and Dante Gizzi and vocalist Mark Rankin, cousin of Sharleen Soiteri, who contributed backing vocals to several songs on their debut album. They came back to Park Lane to record their album, and then went on to your with Simple Minds and the Rolling Stones amongst others. This is the original demo of their debut single. They became active again in 2008 with European tours underway.

mp3 : Slide – Life Of Our Own

Slide were a 4-piece rock band fronted by Grant Richards’ soulful vocals, who released singles and an album on Polygram in 1990, and toured with Black Crowes, Texas and Gun as well as in their own right. This is an unreleased track destined for their second album which wasn’t to be. Drummer Richard Hynd joined Texas, Scott Fraser toured with Deacon Blue and works with Craig Armstrong on a project called Winona and soundtrack work. Kenny Paterson continued at Park Lane, sowing the seeds for this album.

mp3 : Kissing Bandits – The Only Thing That Keeps Me Alive

This band led by Ronnie Costley remained very underground, despite releasing two 7″ singles ‘In Another Time’ and the Flamin Groovies ‘Shake Some Action’, plus a mini-album ‘The Sun Brothers’ on the French New Rose label. Featured the multi-award winning ‘Moulin Rouge’ composer Craig Armstrong on keyboards. This track is from the ‘Caveman’ single, taken from ‘The Sun Brothers’. Ronnie now croons in Ireland and has a country album ‘Dancing To Johnny’ out in Nashville.

mp3 : The Petted Lips – Somebody

An unsigned band featuring Park Lane studio manager Fiona Palmer together with John Palmer who played with Deacon Blue, amongst others. Fiona’s brother Graeme Duffin is a member of Wet Wet Wet, who provided the studio with their first number single – their Childline benefit song ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ came out of Park Lane.

mp3 : Rutkowski Sisters – Riverman

Dee and Louise began as backing singers in Bourgie Bourgie, then shared vocals with Paul Quinn in the early Jazzateers lineup. They formed Sunset Gun with Ross Campbell, releasing an album on CBS. They then became best known for their participation in ‘This Mortal Coil’, featuring heavily on ‘Filigree and Shadow’ and ‘Blood’ as well as Louise on the follow-up The Hope Blister. Dierdre later worked with Eyeless In Gaza; Louise formed The Kindness Of Strangers with Craig Armstrong and both sisters remain active. This lovely rendition of Nick Drake’s classic recorded in 1985 remained unreleased until now.

mp3 : Painted Word – Independence Day

Led by Alan McCusker-Thompson, this is an alternative version of their debut single that came came out on U2’s Mother Records. It also features Robbie Ross McFadyen, Bronek Korda and Cecilia Watson. The band went on to later record an album ‘Lovelife’ for RCA, released in Europe but not in the UK; a second album ‘Universal’ followed on the indie My Thing label. Alan now lectures in music at the University of West of Scotland.

mp3 : ac acoustics – Bluff Drive By

Fronted by Paul Campion, they were Peel favourites, recording five BBC sessions, and also much admired by Tim Burgess and Brian Molko. They released four albums between 1994-2002, and toured widely to promote them. They continued until 2003. This track is previously unreleased, although they did record a version on one of their many Peel sessions.

mp3 : Whiteout – Jackie’s Racing

From Greenock, fronted by Andrew Caldwell, Whiteout positioned themselves as ‘The Next Big Thing’, getting a major deal with Stone Roses’ label Silvertone on the strength of their Park Lane demos. They toured the world including an equal-billing tour with Oasis, achieving success and notoriety in Japan. Two albums followed, but in the rock star stakes they lost out. Guitarist Eric Lindsay continues with Eli Pop. Whiteout reformed in 2009 for their manager’s 40th…so maybe more to come?

mp3 : The Smiles – God Only Knows

Tony McGovern’s first band signed to A&M Records, appeared on TV and the main stage of T in the park, released a single but then their album got buried due to corporate shenanigans. He joined Texas in 1998 and has recently been seen in his new band Kizzy Star touring with Sharleen Spiteri. A release is soon due through a new US deal.

mp3 : The Primevals – Diamonds Are A Fur Coat Champagne

Starting in 1983, Michael Rooney’s garage-rock band had a good number of issues on the French New Rose label as well as other labels. They would wind down in the 1990’s but reformed in 1997 and continue today. This Suicide cover was issued on a 1986 New Rose tribute album, and was also a free 7″ single with their ‘Live A Little’ album. 1986 band line-up is Malcolm McDonald, John Honeyman and Rhod Burnett, + guest Frank Hughes.

mp3 : Nectarine No.9 – Curdled Fragments

Led by former Fire Engines and Win guitarist and singer Davy Henderson, they released numerous albums between 1992-2004 on the Postcard, Shake, Creeping bent and Beggars Banquet labels. This track is from their ‘Saint Jack’ album. Henderson now has a new outfit, The Sexual Objects.

JC adds….

I trust, despite the fact that there’s loads of demos featured today, that you’ll find something to enjoy. It’s a wee bit of history that I think complements what I try to do most days on this wee corner of t’internet.

One other thing worth noting to show how things have changed so quickly and by so much in just six years. Each of the above paras in the booklet was followed by information on how to best hear more from the band or singer. Almost without exception, it was via a myspace page, which has of course become more or less redundant nowadays. As too, one day, will this blog….although they did a few decades back say vinyl was all but dead.

Enjoy.

Cure

RE-ISSUE, RE-PACKAGE, RE-EVALUATE THE SONGS….

In 1986, The Cure enjoyed huge sales thanks to the release of Standing On A Beach, a 13-track compilation of all the band’s singles up to that point. Reaching #4 in the album charts, it was up until that point the biggest selling and highest placed of any of their records and there’s no doubt it increased both their profile and their fan base.

Just four years later, the band and record label tried a similar trick with the release of Mixed Up, this time an 11-track compilation comprising different mixes of 10 old singles and one brand new song. Released towards the end of November 1990, it was a great bit of marketing as it was sure to find its way onto many a Xmas list….

The album was a big success hitting #8 in the UK charts but more importantly climbing to #14 in the US album charts and thus maintaining the momentum from the success of the previous year’s Disintegration.

Mixed Up was supported by the release of two singles – the aforementioned new song which was Never Enough as well as the re-issue, re-package and remix of a single from 1985:-

mp3 : The Cure – Close To Me (Closest Mix)

The information on the CD single says

Produced by Robert Smith and David M Allen (Horns by Real Party) (1985)
Remixed by Paul Oakenfold and Engineered by Steve Osborne, June 1990

The remix proved more popular than the original reaching #13 in the charts as opposed to #24 back in 1985 – proof if any was needed that The Cure were now a band with more followers and admirers than ever before.

The two other tracks were also remixes of earlier singles, but which didn’t make the final cut for the Mixed Up album:-

mp3 : The Cure – Just Like Heaven (Dizzy Mix)

Produced by Robert Smith and David M Allen (1987)
Remixed by Bryan ‘Chuck’ New, September 1990

mp3 : The Cure – Primary (Red Mix)

Produced by Robert Smith and Mike Hedges (1981)
Remixed by Keith Le Blanc, September 1990

Personally, I’m not convinced by either remix, but then again I was, and remain, a big fan of the original versions.

Enjoy.

Clash

THE CLASH ON SUNDAYS (11)

bankrobber

Disc 11 is Bankrobber

A double album at the end of 1979 had taken the world by storm and lifted the profile of The Clash to new heights. Columbia Records were desperate for something to maintain the momentum and the executives must have been highly frustrated that it took a full eight months into 1980 before there was any product to put on the market.

Bankrobber was a real surprise. Where the rock side of things was where most expected he band to go, they brought out a single that delighted those who had fallen for the charms of their reggae covers. It didn’t however, find favour with a few critics who were looking for any reason to turn on the band (after all, the whole ethos of music journalism has always been to tear down those you spent time building up).

In this instance, while it was OK for the band to cover reggae numbers, how dare they, as white musicians, try to do their own thing. Oh, and while the journos were on the soap boxes, they of course took delight in reminding Joe that his daddy, far from being a villain and a thief, was in fact a career diplomat whose meanderings around the world saw him live in fine opulence at the expense of taxpayers……….

Although there were tracks recorded for a 12″ release to follow the success of that format with the London Calling single, the tensions between band and label saw it only appear in 7″ form with these two tracks:-

mp3 : The Clash – Bankrobber
mp3 : The Clash (feat Mikey Dread) – Rockers Galore….UK Tour

It reached #12 in the singles chart, which was just one place below that of London Calling. Again, an appearance on Top of the Pops (or even allowing the promo video to be aired) might have seen it reach the Top 10.

What had been intended for the 12″ release would eventually find its way out via inclusion on Black Market Clash:-

mp3 : The Clash – Bankrobber/Robber Dub

BANKROBBER : Released 8 August 1980 : #12 in the UK singles chart

I was there at the recording of ‘Bankrobber’. Me and my mate Pete Garner were walking down Granby Road in the middle of Manchester one day and we could hear these drums coming through the walls. Pete was a proper Clash fan and he was convinced it was them. Then Topper Headon walks out onto the street right in front of us!

He invited us downstairs into the studio to see what was going on. Mikey Dread was there and we got chatting. They were dead cool. Joe Strummer was sitting in the corner with a big, wide-brimmed hat on beneath this big grand-father clock, clicking his fingers in time to it. Paul Simonon asked us what our favourite film was and then said (affects authentic West London drawl) ‘mine’s ‘Death Race 2000’! Funny the things you remember.

Afterwards we showed Johnny Green, their tour manager, the way to the record shop and he bought two copies of ‘London Calling’ – one for each of us. I’ll never forget it.

Ian Brown, The Stone Roses

Police

A LAZY STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE : 45 45s AT 45 (20)

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON MONDAY 28 APRIL 2008

The-Police-Cant-Stand-Losing-You

(The songs today were part of a recent ICA, so feel free to skip on past and come back tomorrow for the next single by The Clash…..)

The Police were the first band I ever saw play live, back at the Glasgow Apollo in May 1979. £2 a ticket, and they were supported by two other acts – Bobby Henry and The Cramps. Yup, the psychobilly nutters led by Lux Interior who did get his knob out on stage that evening. It certainly made Andy Summers‘ act of bringing on a blow-up doll to serenade during a rendition of Be My Girl/Sally look rather tame.

The fact that the band became the biggest act on the planet for a brief time in the early 80s, as well as Sting becoming the most self-righteous and pompous prick imaginable makes it all too easy to mock The Police. But as a 15 year-old lad, I thought they were as good as anything else that was emerging from the post-punk era that had been christened New Wave.

Not too many other bands were singing about prostitutes in 1979. These were the days when even the use of the word ‘damn’ was liable to get your song banned from the airwaves. The Police were actually regarded as a group that was a bit daring, cutting edge and subversive. You’ll have to trust me on that for I know its almost impossible to imagine.

But Roxanne wasn’t the first song that I ever heard by The Police. My first sighting of the band was in fact on The Old Grey Whistle Test in late 1978. They played two tracks that night, including what was their current single. A couple of days later I picked it up in the local record shop. The thing that I most remember was the sleeve – a picture of someone (turns out it was drummer Stewart Copeland) slowly hanging themselves by putting the noose around their neck and standing on a block of ice that was melted away by a three-bar electric fire. The back of the sleeve was a close-up photo of the ice block having melted…..and beside it was the photo that had been held by the hanging man.

I honestly had some nightmares about that sleeve. Is this what you were driven to when someone chucked you and broke your heart?? Surely not…(and it’s just occurred to me that perhaps a certain Ian Curtis might have glimpsed this sleeve at some point or other….)

But aside from the sleeve, it was a record that I played constantly hour-after-hour and day-after-day. I hadn’t been exposed to all the much reggae, so the song had a beat and rhythm that I thought was really unusual. I also loved the sound of Sting’s voice – it was so much sharper, clearer and tuneful than most other singers fronting new-wave bands. I was gutted when I realised the single wasn’t going to chart (it only made #42 on its first release):-

mp3 : The Police – Can’t Stand Losing You
mp3 : The Police – Dead End Job

The Police were one of a handful of bands that I was championing at school, but it was initially very difficult to get too many people interested. Then, all of a sudden, Sting began to get a lot of attention thanks to him having a main part in the movie Quadrophenia, and interest in his band exploded. Including from lots of folk in school. I think about 7 or 8 of us ended up going along to the Apollo gig – the tickets were unreserved seating so it didn’t matter when you bought them.

They say you never forget your first time, and that a small part of it lives with you forever. I’m no different…..and although I’ve been left embarrassed by an awful lot of the stuff that came out after the initial singles, I’ll never forget the part The Police played in developing my life-long love and affection for music and live gigs.

Sneer all you like. But this record deserves its place in the Top 20.

PJ Harvey

BONUS POSTING : DRESS x 3

pjmbe

It’s kind of pot luck which member of the royal family you’ll get to pin on the medal you’ve been awarded in the twice-yearly honours list. As you can spot from the above photo, the delightful PJ Harvey, having been listed in the June 2013 Awards for achievements in music, got hers from the woman once portrayed in a movie by Helen Mirren.

This is another song inspired by a random appearance on the ipod, but it was this rather wonderful acoustic version:-

mp3 : PJ Harvey – Dress (live, WHFS)

This was recorded in the early 90s for a radio station that is based in Rockville, Maryland (yup….the very same Rockville once namechecked at length in a song by R.E.M.)

The original is, of course, a bona fide classic:-

mp3 : PJ Harvey – Dress

So how about we round things off with the demo version so you can hear how much it subsequently developed…

mp3 : PJ Harvey – Dress (demo)

Enjoy

PS : The reason for this burst of activity on the bonus posting front will become clear quite soon….

Style Council

THE STYLE COUNCIL SINGLES (15)

So we come to the first single that I made no effort to buy at the time of its release in November 1987.

To be fair, this was a period in my life when I wasn’t listening to much music at all. I was going through a bit of an upheaval trying to sort myself out in some ways that involved a bit of a change in lifestyle including looking to get married and settle down. The Style Council didn’t seem important anymore. And judging from what I was able to pick up from the media I wasn’t missing much as Wanted received a bit of a pasting. Paul Weller had come in for bit of stick and times over the previous ten years but the extent to which this was now prolonged and indeed the venom involved was unprecedented.

So I didn’t help Wanted on its way to #20 in the singles chart. It was a song that neither moved nor annoyed me. It was something I heard occasionally on the radio or caught via a TV appearance as the band worked hard to give it some exposure. It did better than the unlamented Waiting but it was still one of the poorest performing singles thus far, which in a sense is a back-handed compliment given we are dealing here with a Top 20 single – the twelfth to achieve that feat…….and as it turned out, the last:-

mp3 : The Style Council – Wanted

It’s not awful. But it’s not great. It just doesn’t seem to be worthy of the great stuff Paul Weller had been churning out in what had seemed that an effortless way the previous ten years.

Two tracks were on the b-side of the 7″ single – the same song but one with a vocal.

Indeed, it was a re-tread of the title song from The Cost Of Loving album released some nine months earlier, but where the original had been lumpy and uninspiring, the new version harked back to the sort of music that the band had made in and around the era of the debut album some three years back. Having said that, I only discovered this when I picked up a second-hand copy as recently as 2013…..

mp3 : The Style Council – The Cost
mp3 : The Style Council – The Cost Of Loving

It was a pleasant surprise to hear something this decent on the b-side more than quarter of a century on.

I’ve since learned that The Cost was a piece of music composed as the theme tune to a film entitled Business As Usual that had been released in 1987. I’ve no recollection of the film despite it being described as an anti-Thatcher film with high-profile stars in John Thaw, Glenda Jackson and Cathy Tyson.

Enjoy.

Fatima Mansions, Microdisney

IN PRAISE OF CATHAL COUGHLAN

CathalCoughlan_large

One of the oldest and most valued friends of this blog is ctel, aka Acid Ted. He was one of the first to pick up on things at the old place back in 2006 and he was even kind enough on two occasions to step in and run the place for me when circumstances dragged me away from things on temporary but extended periods.

These days, his blog is probably the best out there in terms of dance/club music but please don’t be thinking his tastes are restricted to that genre. We bonded initially over Paul Quinn, discovered that we were both huge Carter USM fans and then he revealed his love for Cathal Couglan in two guest posts that I happened to stumble across again within the limited archives I was able to salvage when google shut down the old blog. And it seems appropriate, on St Patrick’s Day, to offer them up again for your pleasure:-

From Feb 2008

Microdisney were a classic Peel band. Formed in the early 80s in Ireland, they soon moved to the UK. A mix of soft instrumentation with biting lyrics, they never achieved their full potential.

In time, trying to ride the twin horses of Cathal Coughlan‘s raging anger and Sean O’Hagen‘s romantic almost countrified music they split. Cathal went on to form the almost psychotically angry The Fatima Mansions and Sean the laid back High Llamas.

Signed to Rough Trade, they were best known for their later album The Clock Comes Down The Stairs. They followed this by moving to Virgin and releasing Crooked Mile.

But, for me, their best work is their earliest stuff from Love Your Enemies (Microdisney 82:84). Originally called We Hate You South African Bastards, this drew together early singles and unreleased tracks. The sleeve notes by Cathal ended:

“Some of you (the Freemason pederasts, for instance) may be a trifle confused or even annoyed by the packaging and name of this record. For all your dumb coyness, I don’t think you need to be told. Just don’t go anywhere, don’t call anyone. Bastard.”

Anyhow, enjoy something from the album:

mp3 : Microdisney – Helicopter of the Holy Ghost

And as a bonus:

mp3 : Microdisney – Loftholdingswood (Peel Session)

———-

Following on from the Microdisney post (and to the rapscallion who claimed they are shit, go wash your mouth out with soap and water), here’s one about Cathal Coughlan’s follow-on band – Fatima Mansions. This time Cathal would have abrasive music to go with his abrasive lyrics.

Fatima Mansions, named after a run-down Dublin housing estate, was to be a vehicle for his world-view, and Andrias O’Gruama (guitar), Hugh Bunker (bass), Nick Allum (drums) and Zac Woolhouse (keyboards) were enlisted for the supporting roles.

Coughlan’s lyrical fixations of religious bigotry, imperialism and death was spelled out in parables of increasing hysteria and black humour, while the safety of Microdisney’s rock arrangements was abandoned in favour of an all-out aural assault.

Against Nature (1989) was lauded as a startlingly well-rounded debut, establishing a broad territory from the driving single Only Losers Take The Bus, to the synth-pop pastiche of 13th Century Boy, and the occasional brooding ballad like Wilderness On Time. The single Blues For Ceausescu (1990) took the band on to a higher level of ferocity and invention, heralding in the eighteen-track onslaught of Viva Dead Ponies (1990).

Meanwhile, regular gigging quickly built their reputation as an extraordinary spectacle, with Cathal hurling his hulk around the stage like a man possessed. In early 1991, Cathal performed some acoustic gigs billed as Fatima Mansions Singular, showcasing the control and mellowness of his voice – ‘I know you all think I’m a brute’, he observed.

Normal service was resumed with the release of Valhalla Avenue (1992), which contained the customary doses of rancour and strident guitar riffing on tracks like Evil Man and Go Home Bible Mike. The album’s ferocious tone did not prevent it from becoming their biggest seller yet, reaching #52 in the UK. They even had a surprise Top 10 single later that year with a near-psychotic reworking (for which read – makes Machine Head sound like Sarah Records) of Bryan Adams‘ Everything I Do (I Do It For You), although this was largely due to the Manic Street Preachers‘ flip-side cover of Suicide Is Painless.

While their uncompromising style may have ruled out any greater commercial success, their standing as a live act secured a support slot on a U2 tour. But Cathal refused to be on best behaviour for the big occasion, infamously causing a near riot on the Italian leg with some on-stage Catholic baiting.

Cathal continued his prolific output by releasing the almost-unlistenable 20 Golden Showers (1993) under the name Bubonique, featuring compatriot comedian Sean Hughes, followed by a new Fatima Mansions album, Lost In The Former West (1994). Once again this was not for the faint-hearted, tackling international affairs with the usual rage and humour. But it was as if his heart was no longer in it and Fatima Mansions simply faded away. Cathal continued to make music as a solo artist but would never again reach the heights he did in Fatima Mansions.

mp3 : Fatima Mansions – 1000%
mp3 : Fatima Mansions – Blues For Ceausescu
mp3 : Fatima Mansions – Only Losers Take The Bus (Dump The Dead)

Ctel, February 2008

New Order

BONUS POSTING : DREAMS NEVER END

There’s no disputing that Movement, the 1981 debut LP from New Order, was a difficult listen upon its release. It’s a record whose nuances and dark tones I’ve gradually grown to like over time, but for many a year I felt that only its opening track was genuinely worth anything:-

mp3 : New Order – Dreams Never End

I’ve pondered occasionally what might have happened if Factory had insisted on releasing it as a single and that somehow it managed to chart. Would it have meant Hooky would permanently have been handed vocal duties? If so, would the band have gone onto enjoy the subsequent successes or would they have messily imploded all too quickly? Rhetorical questions of course, but ones for a good drunken debate of an evening….

There’s a Peel Session version also available to enjoy which really demonstrates how much the production work of Martin Hannett was essential to a band really finding its feet:-

mp3 : New Order – Dreams Never End (Peel Session)

This late post was inspired simply by the track coming up on random shuffle as I cam home from work last night and I thought to myself……fuck, that’s a great song.

Compilation (NME Tapes)

THIS WAS STUCK TO THE FRONT PAGE OF A MAGAZINE (9)

I hadn’t forgotten about this series but the posts involved are time-consuming and I’ve sort of been distracted by the even more time-consuming Imaginary Compilation Albums in recent times.

Pogo A Go Go was made available, via mail order, by the NME in 1986. It featured nineteen tracks from the punk/new wave era

Echorich is a big supporter of this blog, and when I put the first of this series up away back in January 2015 he left the following comment:-

“My favorite freebies will hopefully find their way to this series – NME’s Rough Trade C81, Dancin’ Master and Jive Wire cassettes. These three set the standard for me. “

Happy to oblige amigo.

Side One

mp3 : Thompson Twins – In The Name Of Love
mp3 : David Gamson – No Turn On Red
mp3 : Leisure Process – Love Cascade
mp3 : Buzzz – Tonight’s Alright
mp3 : Pigbag – A Live Orangutango
mp3 : Aswad – Ghetto In The Sky
mp3 : Scritti Politti – Asylums In Jerusalem
mp3 : The Beat – Get A Job / Stand Down Margaret
mp3 : Gil Scott-Heron – B-Movie

Side Two

mp3 : Suicide – Dream Baby Dream
mp3 : Kraftwerk – Das Model
mp3 : Altered Images – Happy Birthday
mp3 : Theatre of Hate – Dreams Of Poppies
mp3 : The Gun Club – Ghost On The Highway
mp3 : Tav Falco’s Panther Burns – Ms. Froggy
mp3 : Black Uhuru – Happiness
mp3 : Defunkt – Illusions
mp3 : Rip Rig & Panic – Billy Eckstein’s Shirt Collar
mp3 : Carmel – Storm
mp3 : Vic Godard & Subway Sect – Just In Time
mp3 : Pablo – Madaleina

mp3 : Hidden track (rap/hip hop ad for NME)

It’s a real ragtag of a compilation and I’d be surprised if anyone who sent away for it (this was another of the NME mail-order offers) would have liked all 21 tracks.

There were bona-fide chart smashes with Altered Images and Kraftwerk (albeit the tape has the original German lyric for The Model). Politics was represented on both sides of the Atlantic with the still wonderful sounding Gil Scott Heron‘s attack on Reaganomics and The Beat‘s live medley that reflected life under Thatcher. There was music to swung your hips to and in particular David Gamson giving an early indication of the pop-style he would bring to later material from the then uber-indie Scritti Politti, and not forgetting a little bit of easy listening jazz that the style mags of the time were telling us would be dominating our listening habits for the rest of the decade – step forward Ms Carmel McCourt.

There’s also a couple of things that are soooooooo 80s and of their time – Leisure Process and The Thompson Twins stand accused and found guilty (although in the case of the former they get let off as they feature the bloke who was the lead singer in Glasgow new wavers Positive Noise).

Reggae, rockabilly and easy listening are also represented while there’s a couple of songs that were and remain, to my ears, just unlistenable – I’m talking in particular about Rip Rig and Panic and Defunkt. Oh and the hidden gem on the tape is the song by The Gun Club.

I kind of get the feeling that this was a tape in which every NME staffer got to choose one song or act that they were listening to at the time and as a result it is more disjointed than most. But it does have about half a dozen that have stood up to the test of passing time….

Enjoy.

Violent Femmes

NOT AN IMAGINARY COMPILATION ALBUM : THE VIOLENT FEMMES

violentfemmes

Inspired by Jez from the excellent A History Of Dubious Taste who, in featuring a song by Violent Femmes, said this about their debut LP

one of my favourite albums ever, all killer no filler, but most people only seem to know “Blister in the Sun”, the opening song from the album. For me, though, “Add It Up” is the best thing on there.

This was an album that I covered in some depth over on the old blog back in January 2008 and again in 2013 just before Google closed me down. As I more or less said on both occasions….It is a true classic which has gone onto to sell millions but yet rarely appears in any long lists of best ever records by critics in magazines.

I’ve a great memory of my first time hearing the record. To my ears at least, American music was really appalling in the early 80s. Maybe I was so accustomed to the punk/post-punk/new wave/indie stuff that I was wrapped up in my student flat that I missed some things. But America was, at time, all stadium anthems from the likes of Broooooce, Van Halen, Fleetwood Mac and the like.

One day, a flatmate came in and demanded we all listen to a new album he had picked up. It was from an American band called Violent Femmes. Not expecting much, the other four of us gathered round the turntable and speakers …wow!!

This was something truly different. Songs of unrequited love, misery and suicide but not like we had heard before. These tunes were upbeat…the lyrics were funny….you could even dance to them!! It was a truly innovative record – it was the first time that I realised a ‘punk’ record could be made with acoustic instruments.

Over the years, this is a record that has made it into the collections of many, and yet the band have never really gotten anything beyond cult status. Seemingly, it reached platinum status in the US ten years after its release – and remains the only record to have sold over 1,000,000 copies without ever breaking into the Billboard Top 200.

This record is now more than 30 years old and it still sounds fantastic today. The full track listing of Violent Femmes:-

01 Blister In The Sun
02 Kiss Off
03 Please Do Not Go
04 Add It Up
05 Confessions
06 Prove My Love
07 Promise
08 To The Kill
09 Gone Daddy Gone
10 Good Feeling

It’s almost the perfect album. There’s not a single duff track on it, and the whole thing ticks over in just 36 minutes. I love it so much that I’ve got a vinyl copy, a CD copy and a remastered CD copy that came with extra tracks.

A groundbreaking effort in all sorts of ways. Who could have realised that angst-ridden and miserable lyrics could be so infectiously enjoyable??

The opening track, Blister In The Sun, is just a fantastic pop song – and is probably the best-known song the band have recorded, thanks to its use in the John Cusack movie Gross Pointe Blank. But.like Jez, I don’t think that you can beat Add It Up – simply the best song ever written about not being able to have sex. I always thought it would have been great fun if, at the height of their fame, The Smiths had recorded Add It Up as a cover version.

mp3 : Violent Femmes – Blister In The Sun
mp3 : Violent Femmes – Add It Up
mp3 : Violent Femmes – Prove My Love

But all in all, it offers ten superb songs that would make a perfect ICA, except that it exists in reality.

Bonus cover and acoustic versions:-

mp3 : The Wannadies – Blister In The Sun (live)
mp3 : The Schla La Las – Add It Up
mp3 : Violent Femmes – Prove My Love (acoustic live)

Enjoy

Adam Stafford

BONUS POSTING : ADAM STAFFORD ALBUM LAUNCH

AS_110316_553s

I normally never put up a bonus posting on the day of a guest ICA. But this is for a special reason.

Along with my regular gig-going buddy Aldo I was at the gig last Friday night when Adam Stafford launched his new album Taser Revelations. My mate Mike from Manic Pop Thrills was also there, accompanied as usual by Mrs MPT.

Mike is one of the best at reviewing gigs, and he’s no mean photographer either. As I was already lined up to contribute to the evening by selling the merchandise after Adam had finished his set, we agreed that I’d be able to use Mike’s words as a review, on the basis we agreed with each other’s take on the evening.

Which we do. So here is Mike’s take on things:-

“Friday night at Summerhall was the album launch for Adam’s new record ‘Taser Revelations’ (reviewed on here on Thursday) and the show was every bit as special as the record.

Compared to previous shows where Adam performed on his own this one was, for me at least, a bit different as producer (and former bandmate) Robbie Lesiuk provided bass guitar on most of the songs.

Over the course of more than 75 minutes, Adam again illustrated what a singular performer he is with a set drawn from his last three albums and even one song from the repertoire of previous band Y’All Is Fantasy Island.

The songs from ‘Taser Revelations’ came first and the album’s closing track ‘The Penumbra’ eased us gently into the show. It was followed by a selection of other songs from record including a superb ‘Atheist Money’ and forthcoming pop single ‘Phantom Billions’.

It was also fascinating to watch what I’d imagined as being some sort of rhythm sample on ‘Railway Trespassers’ in fact being built from scratch by a series of percussive strikes to the guitar.

Promotional duties dispensed with (his words not mine!) the back catalogue was then raided for the remainder of the set.

Particularly well received were ‘Vanishing Tanks’ and ‘Shot-down You Summer Wannabe’ the latter which Adam had to restart as the rather lusty singalong from the Gerry Loves crew had put him off!

If that was an example of how difficult the technical aspects of these live shows can be it only served to emphasise how impressive this type of performance is.

Add in just how compelling a performer Adam is (and of course the records) and it’s hard not to regard Mr Stafford as one of Scotland’s premier musical talents at the moment.

Beforehand Dan Willson had delivered a well-received Withered Hand solo set. These are always enjoyable experiences given the quality of the tunes and Dan’s between song repartee and Friday was no exception. We were also treated to a new song.

Opener Robbie Lesiuk also impressed in his own right despite having crawled out of his sick bed to play. I’ve seen audience members frequently looking at their watches during support sets before but never the artist which suggests that Robbie was checking how quickly he could get backstage to take another Lemsip!

But he still delivered an enjoyable set, even if for the second time in a row I didn’t see the full performance (in this case due to interview duties).

Adam played:

1.The Penumbra 2. Phantom Billions 3. Atheist Money 4. Black Lung Applications 5. Railway Trespassers 6. Cold Seas 7. Vanishing Tanks 8. Please 9. Shot-down You Summer Wannabe 10. His Acres

Encore

11. Phased Return 12. With Handclaps

Adam will be out an about in Scotland over the next 2 or 3 weeks (dates here) even if a Dundee show will have to wait until his co-headline show with Book Group on Saturday 21 May.

JC adds:-

Here’s two examples of Adam’s genius. It’s all live….

Shot Down You Summer Wannabes

Enjoy.

Sonic Youth

AN IMAGINARY COMPILATION ALBUM : #68 : SONIC YOUTH

A GUEST POSTING FROM JIMDOES

Here’s an imaginary compilation for a band that surprisingly enough, have never featured on TVV – a definite oversight from JC!

Anyway, they’ve released 15 studio albums and recorded hundreds of songs so a Sonic Youth ICA seems like a pretty daunting task – except I don’t own all those tracks and of those I do own, I only keep about 25 on my Ipod, so they are the ones I am most familiar with.

As a band they were always experimenting and always pushing their sound to new limits and because of this I think they are one of those bands that the more you listen, the more you get out of – there’s so much depth and texture to their music. They are a band that I’ve listened to for nearly 30 years (yikes!) and are the one that I always gravitate to when I am a bit drunk on long train journeys home – they just seem to make sense to me in that state.

I don’t really know the stuff from before Daydream Nation too well either so my ICA will mainly be from then onwards – maybe someone else can do me an ICA of earlier stuff from Sister/EVOL etc? Anyway, here goes – not necessarily the best, just my favourites…

01 TEEN AGE RIOT (From Daydream Nation)

Best to get this one out of the way early – the opening track on their masterpiece and in my opinion one of the greatest songs ever recorded. I never tire of the Kim Gordon beginning whisper to this song – or the rest of it really. I saw them perform the whole of Daydream Nation a few years ago – one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to (the accompanying picture is from that show – in my opinion, one of the best rock photos ever taken – even if it was on an old Nokia phone) – you know that any show that starts with this song isn’t going to let you down. And it’s the last song that Sonic Youth ever performed together – and sadly will probably never be performed by them again – I can’t see there being a reunion any time.

BEST BIT: 1.22 When Thurston’s guitar kicks in – all euphoria excitement and adrenalin and the promise of what’s to come.

02 SUNDAY (From A Thousand Leaves)

Sonic Youth are so good at the whole quiet/LOUD/quiet thing – heaven knows how they make all that noise with just their guitars – but they do and I love it.

BEST BIT: 2.21 When it kicks off into that noisy squall – magic.

03 THE EMPTY PAGE (From Murray Street)

I really got into this song after Kim Gordon used it as a reference point in her autobiography. Again it’s got that quiet/LOUD thing going on – there’s a bit of a theme developing here!

BEST BIT: 3.34 Thurston’s voice when he sings “The empty page has wasted down”

04 OR (From Rather Ripped)

Almost my favourite Sonic Youth song – probably no2 after Teenage Riot mainly as that’s got history and it’s the songs you love in your early years that are generally the ones that influence you most. Anyway, I digress – I love the words and the sense of menace and yearning and resignation in this song – I think that’s what it is anyway!

BEST BIT: 2.28 The way Thurston says “Rock” – it really does rock.

05 BROTHER JAMES (From Death Valley 69)

Time for a Kim Gordon song – I’ll admit I first listened to this song because of the name – I’m a sucker for songs with my name in them and believe me there’s loads. This is kind of the opposite of the previous song – Kim Gordon sounds seriously pissed off – screaming the lyrics. Sonic Youth are one of those bands where they are all such great musicians and such a unit that it’s hard to say what stands out – on this track it’s all perfect.

BEST BIT: 2.30 Kim screaming “I don’t wanna hang around” and then things just get faster

06 DIRTY BOOTS (From Goo)

Ok lets play the hits. I remember leaping around indie discos to this song and moshing when they played it – I’m sure there’s plenty of TVV readers that did the same. I’m in danger of repeating myself – Thurston Moore sounds great, Steve Shelley nails it, Lee Ranaldo does his thing and Kim Gordon holds it all together impeccably – almost the perfect Sonic Youth track, if there weren’t so many classics to choose from. Every one of them was at the top of their game when they recorded this and it shows.

BEST BIT: 3.05 HA! Enough said.

07 CANDLE (From Daydream Nation)

I could’ve chosen pretty much any song off Daydream Nation – they are all good but this is one that I played to death in my youth and so was a real highlight for me when I saw them perform it.

BEST BIT: 0.00 The beginning – I love the melody that leads into the song.

08 SACRED TRICKSTER (from The Eternal)

Another Kim song. Where the title of her book ‘Girl In A Band’ comes from.

BEST BIT: 1. 14 Uh-huh Uh-huh. Just because.

09 I LOVE YOU GOLDEN BLUE (From Sonic Nurse)

Sonic Youth do dreamy. Kim Gordon whispering the words – none of their trademark distortion – and in her book it’s a song she says she loved singing.

BEST BIT: 5.46 You expect it to get faster and drown you in feedback but Kim Gordon just whispers the title of the song.

10 THE DIAMOND SEA (From Washing Machine)

At 20 minutes long this is the song that just keeps giving – it’s a showcase for the whole band and encompasses just about every aspect of the Sonic Youth sound. An epic to end my ICA.

BEST BIT: Seriously? All of it.

mp3 : Sonic Youth – Teen Age Riot
mp3 : Sonic Youth – Sunday
mp3 : Sonic Youth – The Empty Page
mp3 : Sonic Youth – Or
mp3 : Sonic Youth – Brother James
mp3 : Sonic Youth – Dirty Boots
mp3 : Sonic Youth – Candle
mp3 : Sonic Youth – Sacred Trickster
mp3 : Sonic Youth – I Love You Golden Blue
mp3 : Sonic Youth – The Diamond Sea

Love from jimdoes

Enjoy

Anna, Fall

BONUS POSTING : ANNA AND THE FALL

Big thanks to Jez and Kev for responding to my plea for help a couple of days ago:-

mp3 : Anna – Masonic Youth

I was looking for the song on behalf of S-WC who has been asked to put together music for an upcoming wedding and Anna was the first band that the groom ever saw live back in 1993. It’s a bit rocky and lengthy (nearly nine minutes)….and I don’t think somehow think it will be the bridal waltz. But you never know….

According to info on last fm, Anna were a four piece group from Croydon in London, consisting of Pete Uglow (guitar /vocals), Darren Lynch (guitar), Philip Lynch (bass guitar) and Cormac on drums & percussion which emerged from an earlier band called Electric MotherFucker Brothers who were totally against the then fashionable baggy beats and floppy fringes. Discogs reveals there were four singles and one album between 1992 and 1994, all on either Go! Discs or its offshoot, Free Records.

Talking of S-WC, as many of you know he, together with his sidekick Tim Badger, have a wonderfully entertaining blog called When You Can’t Remember Anything which specialises in featuring one song plucked from random shuffle in i-pods. They’ve got some guest contributors this week, starting with yours truly, and out of more than 25,000 songs available (including around 250 of Mrs VV’s selection which are horrific – e.g. Niki Minaj) I was lucky enough for a classic by The Fall to rumble its way through. Pay a visit to their place and see for yourself.

Another guest ICA tomorrow. I think most of you will enjoy it.

Clash

THE CLASH ON SUNDAYS (10)

index

Disc 10 is London Calling.

So we come to the point when The Clash to all intent and purposes stopped being a punk/new wave band and moved beyond any sort of meaningful classification thanks to their ability to turn their hand to just about any sort of genre and make it sound their own.

It is quite incredible that a double album, widely recognised and acknowledged as one of the best of all time, only ever had one single lifted from it. (I’m talking in broad terms here as I know that a separate song was lifted and released in the USA). It is also quite incredible that more than 35 years since it was first broadcast over the airwaves that it has since become one of the most immediately identifiable opening to any song ever written.

It was released at the beginning of December 1979 in 7″ and 12″ form, the latter being something new for the band and as such was the version I bought. I was blown away right away, particularly for the booming bass notes that blared out of my speakers in an almost distorted manner. And the ending with its S.O.S.call just added a wow factor.

The other three songs on the 12″ were equally jaw dropping, albeit it was one cover and two remixed dub versions of said cover. I actually thought that the lyrics and sentiments of White Man (In Hammersmith Palais) meant that the Clash wouldn’t go back to reggae for any material choosing to leave the majesty of Police and Thieves as their calling card in that respect. But Armagideon Time and the dub versions blew that notion away.

My 12″ copy of the single was, alas, damaged beyond repair a few years later when put into use at a party in the flat and someone dropped burning ash onto it. I’d later get the songs back via their inclusion on the compilation album Black Market Clash.

It’s worth noting that the single didn’t sell all that well in the run up to Christmas – I’m guessing most fans would have spent their money initially on the album which came out just seven days later. But it was a real slow burner of a 45 and six weeks after its release it hit its peak of #11….just think how high it would have got if the band had been interested in appearing on Top of The Pops to boost sales.

This was the UK top 10 on the week of 19 January 1980:-

1. The Pretenders – Brass In Pocket
2. Billy Preston & Syreeta – With You I’m Born Again
3. KC & The Sunshine Band – Please Don’t Go
4. Madness – My Girl
5. Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall
6. The Nolans – I’m In The Mood For Dancing
7. Abba – I Have A Dream
8. The Beat – Tears Of A Clown/Ranking Full Stop
9. Fiddler’s Dram – Day Trip To Bangor
10. The Tourists – I Only Want To Be With You

A mixed bag to say the very least, and surely a missed opportunity to hit #1.

mp3 : The Clash – London Calling
mp3 : The Clash – Armagideon Time
mp3 : The Clash – Justice Tonight
mp3 : The Clash – Kick It Over

Bit of a surprise as to the author of the main essay in the booklet. I also think he’s talking bollocks, but never mind.

LONDON CALLING : Released 7 December 1979 : #11

I love The Clash. I liked their first album even though the production was not too good. As you know they were formed because of seeing the Pistols, so it was never seen as a threat, the Pistols were number one and The Clash were number two, even if it was perceived to have changed further along the road.

I like the way they played because it was the same style as I’m from, the same school of glam, the tunes very similar to what I was brought up with. The structures and blueprint Mick Jones gave them were coming from the same place I was. I went up to Birmingham, to the Music Machine and played with them. There was no animosity, it was all good in my book.

“London Calling” was their “Anarchy In The UK”. I thought it was a depressing song but significant, because of the lyrics. The best time I ever saw them was early on, when they were rehearsing, Keith Levine was still in the band, and I watched them rehearse at the Roundhouse and they didn’t change much from then on.

You know history gets twisted by those that weren’t there. The Clash, they were there, we were there. I’ve had Mick on the blower for the radio show. Joe: I’d get weird messages when he was alive, at 5am, saying how he thought I was his fave guitar player, they were great guys. I Liked them.

Steve Jones, the Sex Pistols and Indie 103.1FM, Los Angeles

There’s so much drama in this tune, it feels like you are in the middle of a dream.

Damon Albarn, Gorillaz, Blur.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

A LAZY STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE : 45 45s AT 45 (21)

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON FRIDAY 25 APRIL 2008

When I was the new wave kid on the block, I used to snigger behind the backs of the guys at school who were fans of bands like Pink Floyd, Genesis, Led Zeppelin and Yes. (I didn’t do it to their faces as they were bigger than me and would have giving me a right good kicking).

I did so because, unlike them, I got to hear the songs that I liked getting played on the radio, and sometimes I even got to see the bands that were my favourites appearing on the telly. I was of a very impressionable age, and my attitude was that you were a nobody if you didn’t get played on Radio 1 or Radio Clyde this side of midnight. And an even bigger nobody if Noel Edmonds, Jimmy Saville, Tony Blackburn or Dave Lee Travis didn’t read out your name in a rundown during Top Of The Pops.

In my wee world, it wasn’t relevant that the sorts of bands – the ones that so excited the guys with long hair, the combat jackets and the patchouli oil – could sell LPs in their millions and play concerts that recreated all the albums note-for-note in shows lasting three hours in length – mainstream recognition was the be-all and end-all.

So, it’s just as well that as I’ve got older my attitude has softened –for I would never have found a place in my heart and mind for the greatest act to ever come out of Australia.

In a career that now goes back more than 30 years, Nick Cave, whether with The Birthday Party, The Bad Seeds or Grinderman has had one commercial hit that got him on TOTP. And even then, that was because fans of Kylie Minogue bought the single….

He has released one great LP after another throughout his career. Each LP has spawned two or three singles, some of which have been astonishing in their ambition. Some have been tremendously catchy with great tunes and big choruses, while others have been gorgeous yet understated ballads that are poems set to music. He’s even made all sorts of promotional videos, many of them entertaining and eye-catching in an effort to get some mainstream attention.

All to no avail.

Instead his fame and career is now so similar to the dinosaurs of the 70s in being based entirely on critical acclaim album sales and live performances that leave you panting for more without ever troubling the compilers of the singles charts.

All this means is that an awful lot of folk who have an interest in music, but no real depth of passion or soul for it (i.e. they’ll maybe buy what they hear on the radio but never take risks) are missing out on his genius and talent. I suppose that’s good in one way as it means Nick Cave will ever get so big and famous that his live shows move to arenas and stadia. But overall, don’t you agree that his music should be in every household?

Yet again, there were a number of singles that I hummed and hawed over before selecting one for this rundown. It goes back to 1994:-

mp3 : Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Do You Love Me? (single version)
mp3 : Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Cassiel’s Song
mp3 : Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Sail Away

A single drum note. The haunting sound of the staccato Hammond organ. Nick mumbling the one line over and over to himself. The bar-room piano that comes crashing in on top of everything. And that’s just the introductory 45 seconds – a sort of overture for all that follows.

Is this a song that is a plea for affection from someone who wants so much to be loved back??

I’m not sure….

I’ve always thought it is something altogether far more creepy and sinister – the song of a dominating control-freak who breaks the soul and spirit and eventually the body of their lover because although she gave him everything, it was never ever enough to satisfy his lust.

In many ways, it’s a bit like The One I Love by REM. If you just catch the most audible part of the song, it all seems innocent enough. But listen closely and you’ll notice that there’s a lot of venom and poison lying within……

Bauhaus, Bettye Swann, Musical Youth, Public Service Broadcasting

BONUS POSTING : SONGS OF UNBRIDLED JOY

ipod

It takes a lot to get my mate Jacques the Kipper really excited. Even at the football, when I’ll be ranting, raving and close to foaming at the mouth as a result of one or more of the ineptitude of our players, the niggardly tactics of our opposition or the uselessness of the match officials (especially every lino over on the Railway Stand side), the best you’ll get out of him is a half-growled ‘C’mon’ – and even then it is usually stifled halfway through for fear of drawing attention to himself.

It’s the same with music. If he hears something good, he’ll casually mention it in conversation some time later. He’s a regular use of social media but it tends to be observational more than anything else.

So you can imagine my surprise when, at just after 8am on Thursday 10 March, at a time when he’d be walking to his office in Edinburgh and as I was making my way to the train station in Glasgow, the following text arrived:-

iPod. So much fun this morning. Bela Lugosi’s Dead followed by Pass the Duchy (what a great record that is in retrospect) then Public Service Broadcasting followed by some old school soul from Bettye Swann.

That sort of emotion is almost unheard of. I of course replied (in a state of shock mind you) and he further articulated:-

Never a big Bauhaus fan much to my friends at the time disgust. But BL is some record and I must have danced to it a million times. Interesting to reassess PtD – amusing retrospect how popular it was given it’s a bunch of kids taking drugs. But as a reggae tune I think it stands the test of time.

For those readers who perhaps have no idea of what he’s talking about, click here.

So here your folks, JtK’s songs of unbridled joy, courtesy of a shuffling machine:-

mp3 : Bauhaus – Bela Lugosi’s Dead
mp3 : Musical Youth – Pass The Dutchie
mp3 : Public Service Broadcasting – Inform, Educate, Entertain (live)
mp3 : Bettye Swann – Kiss My Love Goodbye

Talking of shuffling, tune in next week to WYCRA as there’s a few guest postings due to be featured, including yours truly.