So popular that it was voted #1 in the 1989 Peel Festive 50.
So few folk bought it that it stalled at #45 in the UK charts. But truth be told, that was actually a very good position for most singles released on Rough Trade Records. It has the catalogue number RTT 218 if you're remotely interested.
Here's yer promo
One of the b-sides also appreared on the debut LP, Reading Writing and Arithmetic:-
mp3 : The Sundays - I Kicked A Boy
But there's a real gem tucked away on the 12". It sounds as if Harriet Wheeler is being backed by messrs Joyce, Marr and Rourke.....
I'm still very busy just now. I was actually away in Ireland for the five days just past dealing with what I hope will be the last aftermath of my brother's fatal car crash back in July. First day back at work and I'm expecting it to be busy....as indeed will in all likelihood be the next week or so. And because of this, the postings will continue to be lazy.
I've decided to begin this week by going into the cupboard and digging out an old 12" single by a band from Athens, Georgia, USA.
This dates from January 1989. It was massive in their home country, reaching #6 in the Billboard Hot 100, but less so here in the UK where it stalled at #48.
mp3 : R.E.M. - Stand mp3 : R.E.M. - Memphis Train Blues mp3 : R.E.M. - (The Eleventh Untitled Song)
The third of the tracks is an extended version of the eleventh and final track on the LP Green - the version on the 12" is about 40 seconds longer.
That’s what a lot of daughter’s are. I should know I was one. From as far back as I can remember I followed my Dad around, he would take me to his allotment, we would dig, plant, nibble on peas out of pods, and roast potato’s on a bonfire in an old bin lid. Then at tea-time I would ride home in his old wheelbarrow. He then got into trouble from my Mum because I was filthy and I didn’t eat my tea. He would wink at me when my Mum’s back was turned and then go up to her, grab her from behind and tickle her until she was in fits of giggles.
He took me to the library and we read and chose books together, we took the dog for long walks, he told me stories of his time in the Middle East during the war. I imagined him on a camel wearing a fez or dressed like Lawrence of Arabia galloping through a sandstorm. I know now this was probably very, very far from the truth of what it was really like in that part of the world during the war.
I worshipped him and he revelled in it. My brother was never jealous of our relationship as he had his own time with Dad as they always went to watch the Leeds United home games together.
He loved music and always had the radio on. We had an old record player. We didn’t have many records; he had The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsy, Big Spender by Shirley Bassey and a few awful scratched Max Bygraves records. Then someone at his work gave him a box of old singles Dream by the Everly Brothers, Robot by The Tornados, My Boy Lollipop by Millie, Seven Little Girls (sitting in the back seat) by Paul Evans and The Curls, a couple of Elvis singles and a few Beatles too.
My brother and I pounced on these they became our first music treasures. Although the start of Robot scared me and my brother used to threaten to put it on when my Mum and Dad went out so I would let him watch what he wanted on the telly the little bastard!!
mp3 : Shirley Bassey - Big Spender
However this relationship changed when I was about thirteen. Shock, horror I started to grow up and as every father and daughter relationship has experienced, it’s gets a bit difficult to say the least. Dads don’t cope very well with their beautiful little girls start changing into young women. Girl’s of thirteen certainly don’t understand it and when they start to experiment with make up etc they can’t deal very well with comments like ‘you’re not going out looking like that’!
Suddenly your skirt’s too short, your heels are too high and you look like a tart! Dad’s change from a cuddly, lovely, will do anything for you doting daddy and light of a little girl’s life. To a grumpy git and someone who disagrees with everything you want to wear and do.
He lectures you about where you are going, who you are going with and what time you will be back! I know now that this behaviour change was born mainly out of fear. Fathers fear what is going to happen to their little girls, boys they may meet and what they will get up to with them. As they were teenage boys once they know what that means!
My Dad and I did come out the other side. My Mum played a large part in this, becoming mediator and peacemaker. After the terse teenage years our relationship got back on track big style and love as always survived that rocky road.
So Daddies of girls (yes, you know who you are) please be understanding and give your ‘little princess’s’ the opportunity to grow up and don’t worry too much, they have more sense than you give them credit for. As for you ‘little princess’s’, give the poor demented darlings a break, it’s only cos they love you!
mp3 : Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father Again
Red and Ginger, Sunday 28 November 2010 Sorry Folks....songs removed cos of DMCA notice
And here's another track that could have been a hit single:-
mp3 : The Smiths - I Want The One I Can't Have
Indeed, there was a point in time when Morrissey was on stage introducing the as-yet unreleased song as a forthcoming 45. Instead, it became a stand-out track on Meat Is Murder. Oh, let me get one thing off my chest. I'm a big fan of said album...it's just the title track that I cant listen to. Just in case I caused confusion a few weeks ago.
A crackingly upbeat tune with a painfully funny lyric, it had a title that resonated with those whose boy/girl of their dreams was always out of reach.
Oh and there's a eulogy of sorts to a teenage murderer that somehow got past the taste police....
And the tune was later sort of ripped off and turned into a huge hit single:-
mp3 : The Housemartins - Happy Hour
Finally.....if you want an example of why I don't really like how Morrissey often interprets the old songs in the solo performances:-
mp3 : Morrissey - I Want The One I Can't Have
The beauty of the original is lost in this plodding rock version while the great man delivers a vocal that borders on self-parody..... it was recorded at the Rotal Albert Hall, London in 2002 and released as a track on the b-side of I Just Want To See The Boy Happy.
Can't believe I'm even attempting this. Dont think I'm capable of it.
Take a deep breath and dive in:-
mp3 : Orange Juice - A Place In My Heart mp3 : Orange Juice - Consolation Prize mp3 : Orange Juice - Dying Day mp3 : Orange Juice - Mud In Your Eye mp3 : Orange Juice - Out For The Count
That's the five I've chosen as I type this post. On another day, a different five would probably be listed. This was an impossiblity. I'm simply not up to the task.
I'm a blogger.....get me out of here.
And of course dear readers, I cannot recommend the Coals To Newcastle box set highly enough. It's available to buy from loads of place, including Edwyn's shop. I know it's not cheap, but why not as Santa to bring it to you???
Oh and while mucking about on youtube, I found this amazing bit of footage:-
Third best performing 45 while The Clash were a fully functioning band, reaching #17 in the summer of 1982. What many folk might find surprising is that it was a much more successful single in the UK than Rock The Casbah which had preceeded about six weeks previously.
mp3 : The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go mp3 : The Clash - Straight To Hell
Both ripped straight from an original 12" single bought in 1982
Its been a bit of a struggle in recent weeks finding time to juggle work commitments, family issues, a social life, the football and trying to blog on a regular basis.
So for the next few days you will have to forgive me as I simply post some songs without offering much in the way of words from me. Its probably a big improvement from most days mind you.
Collectively, the four songs made up the Dixie-NarcoEP which reached #11 in the UK singles charts in early 1992.
Oh, and a PS from ctel, whose incredible body of work at Acid Ted is proof that he's forgotten way more about the genre of dance music than I ever learned in the first place:-
This is an astonishingly brilliant tune, nigh on eleven minutes of blissed out brilliance. This features Primal Scream at the height of their E career, before their Stones fantasies were realised and things went much, much darker. Like Loaded and the Screamdelica album (1991), this wouldn't have been possible without the abiding genius of Andrew Weatherall (who would also go off into darker places in the coming years). It also doesn't feature Bobby's gurning vocals, instead uses the too often overlooked Denise Johnson. Released a year after the Screamadelica album and getting to No.11 this release never quite gets the attention it deserves.
The main event this fine evening was the Glasgow launch of an impressive album by The Scottish Enlightenment, entitled 'St. Thomas' (Armellodie, 2010). So far, reviews from the likes of BBC 6 Music, Song, by Toad and The Scotsman have been very positive and are, indeed, well-deserved. The Scottish Enlightenment take the stage at some point after ten o'clock and although appearing a wee bit nervous and unsure, at first, their sound soon dominates the wee basement bothy that is the Note. At times, down the stairs, it can be a little 'bass muddy' (that is so not a technical term but you get what I mean), but tonight the sound is great and the guitars shine brightly, especially on the slow-burning track that is 'Necromancer'. The new album, as you would expect, is given an appropriate airing and although early on, vocally, a bit reserved, David Moyes soon finds himself and delivers the script with confidence and, well, a rather dead-pan measure. It's a great night.....
mp3 : The Scottish Enlightenment - Little Sleep
My own take on this is that I went along on the basis if Colin and Matthew (aka Song By Toad) like something, there's a very good chance I will too. I really value their judgement(s) that much. And within two songs, I had fallen head over heels in love with The Scottish Enlightenment. So much so, I bought everything that was available from the merchandise stall that very evening. One of the best releases in all of 2010. I'm just sorry I was, as usual, so late to the party.
More about this band can be found here. And you can buy their excellent debut LP here.
#2 : Butcher Boy : Offshore, Glasgow, Saturday 20 November 2010
OK, I'm biased cos this is a band with whose members I have become friendly with in recent times. But please, you have to believe me when I say that if I thought the music they play was lacking in something, I'd not be slow in saying so.
Last night, in the comfort of a medium-sized coffee shop in the West End of Glasgow, Butcher Boy treated us to their first live gig in 18 months. It was a set that showcased a number of new tunes and gave us many old favourites. Yup, there were a few bum notes and the occasional fluffed lyric.....but nevertheless, this had to be one of the live highlights, not just of 2010, but of more than 30 years of me going along to gigs.
It was mesmerising.
It was enthralling.
It was breathtakingly beautiful with moments when some of us were reduced to tears such was the fragile beauty of parts of the performance.
It was wonderfully tight when they played the uptempo numbers, so much so that it took a great deal of self-control not to get out of my seat and dance, or even worse, start singing at the top of my voice.......
When a football team hit the heights and give you a performance that is truly outstanding, the manager often comes out and says you cant single out any one player above the others. It was a bit like that last night. All seven performers rose to the occasion and made for a perfect evening. But I cant let these few words of appreciation pass without saying that Robert Spark and Fraser Ford, so often the band members that get least attention, played blinders. But if they were worthy of 10 out of 10, then the others would have been awarded 9.95 from this judge.
But the most astonishing thing to those of us who swear by the majesty of the first two Butcher Boys LPs was the realisation that that the new songs are going to take the band to a higher plane altogether. The arrangements and orchestration reminded me of the first few Tindersticks records, and I am quite prepared to stick my neck out and say that Helping Hands (for that is the title of the next LP) will be THE best record released in 2011........
You think I'm exaggerating? Well, get yourself along to see them perform on Saturday 11th December at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. It's an afteroon gig that will combine with a Christmas Fayre.......
Oh and if you're lucky enough to have a ticket to see Belle & Sebastian at the Barrowlands on Tuesday 21st December, then get along and catch the support. act.........
mp3 : Butcher Boy - I Could Be In Love With Anyone mp3 : Butcher Boy - There Is No-One Who Can Tell Where You've Been
The set-list in full:-
J is for Jamie The Day Our Voices Broke I Know Who You Could Be A Better Ghost Imperial When I'm Asleep I Could Be In Love With Anyone Carve A Pattern Helping Hands Girls Make Me Sick I Am The Butcher This Kiss Will Marry Us There Is No-One Who Can Tell You Where You've Been Every Other Saturday
Please. If you dont have any Butcher Boy records do something about it now. They are available here.
Happy Listening
PS
Inbetween these two great nights, I was asked, by one of the best friends of Mrs Villain, to go along a catch a young band playing at the bottom of a bill that featured something like six bands for £6. I admit to doing so out of a sense of loyalty as the lead singer in the band was related to the husband of Mrs Villains' friend.
I was very pleasantly surpised by the promise and talent shown by The Occupationists. A page elsewhere on the internet says:-
The Occupationists are teenagers who are from Scotland. We like alternative/indie music and we hope you like our tunes.
Teenagers?? They're barely out of their nappies (I'm told they are all 17 or 18 years of age)
As I said, I enjoyed their short but very energetic set.
Demo versions of some their songs can be found here . They are going into a studio to record a debut EP this weekend. Good luck lads.
The band's seventh single probably doesn't feature as the #1 on 99.99999% of lists compiled by fans (I'm tempted to say it is 100% but there's always someone out there twisted enough to start an argument).
mp3 : The Smiths - Shakespeare's Sister
A radical departure from the guitar-driven efforts unleashed over the previous months, the use of a boogie-woogie piano as lead instrument mystified fans. My own recollection of the era was that most folk didn't like it, as much for the lack of chorus or catchy line as anything else, and the preference was for the dreamy and more typical Stretch Out And Wait on the b-side of the 12".
So what the hell is it about?
It is brilliantly summed up by Simon Goddard - "a Bronte-force torrent of satanic ragtime, it finds Morrissey possessed with thoughts of suicide, struggling against maternal constraints and mocking his ludicrous early attempts to become an acoustic protest singer".
The title is inspired by A Room Of One's Own, an essay penned by Virginia Woolf essay in 1928 in which she argues that such was the chauvinism in Elizabethan society that it was impossible for a woman with the same talent and genius as the Stratford bard to be a success. For one, she would have been denied the schooling and education, and there's also the small matter of her not even being allowed to enter the theatre.
Morrissey explained later his own take on it - the song is the voice of the downtrodden and about shrugging off the shackles of depression.....to get out there and do what one really wants to do.
The failure of the single to be a hit - it stalled at #26 - caused a great deal of antagonism between the band and their record label which was accused of failing to support its release in any meaningful way.
Perhaps a greater problem lies in the band's self -production and mixing of the song. Seemingly, it should have opened with a guitar burst not all that dissimilar to Girl Afraid instead of the distant cousin half-note of How Soon Is Now? and then the wholly unexpected piano. From the outset the tune seems to be racing uncomfortably ahead of itself almost as if it has been recorded at the wrong speed. I sometimes expect Morrissey's voice to come in sounding as if he had sucked on some helium.....
A live version that can be found on the flip side of the next again single, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, demonstrates what I mean by that.....the singer just doesn't sound comfortable delivering this number.
mp3 : The Smiths - Shakespeare's Sister (live, Oxford 1985)
Overall I'm not all that sure about Shakespeare's Sister. I'm willing to acknowledge that, at the time, it suffered in comparison not just to the brilliance of the previous six singles but also the majority of the songs on the first two LPs that we all loved. But the band would release many better songs in the years ahead in which the paiano rather than the guitar had the main role.....
In summary ?? Shakespeare's Sister is more of an oddity rather than a classic.
I am making it much easier for myself this week by going for a band who have a reputation for releasing a lot of excellent singles but whose albums were, for the most part, disappointing (other than the songs which were released as singles).
The Police were the first headlining band I ever saw live back in May 1979. I've retained a certain fondness for them notwithstanding Sting has made me cringe far too often over the past 25 years, but they're not a band I listen to all that often nowadays. It really should have been a tough task narrowing it down to just the five songs from their various studio albums, but in fact it was the opposite. Actually finding five decent LP track that have stood the test of time was the problem. So much so, I didn't put in five:-
mp3 : The Police - Bring On The Night mp3 : The Police - Next To You mp3 : The Police - Secret Journey
The band recorded a total of 54 songs across 5 studio LPs, of which 15 were released as singles in the UK (I'm including the re-recorded The Bed's Too Big Without You as a single, although you could only but it as part of an expensive special six-pack of singles that still went Top 20 on release).
Believe me, if A&M Records thought that all 54 songs were capable of being hit singles, they would have released them. There really are some stinkers among the remaining 39 non-singles, so much so that I almost abandoned this posting mid-listening. But instead, I just went with the only three songs I can give pass marks to....
Its easier to do this thing chronologically.
From Outlandosd'Amour, there's just the one track - Next To You the song which opened the LP. Hard to believe now, but the band were seen as part of the New Wave movement that was sweeping the UK in 78 and 79 and while it is far closer to pop than anything remotely punk, I think this really is one of the few tracks that has dated not too badly thanks to the catchy chorus and the driving energy provided by the drums of Stewart Copeland.
From Regatta deBlanc, there's Bring On The Night. This is one of the few album tracks on which all members of the band really do gel brilliantly, and must have been a contender for a possible single.
From ZenyattaMondatta, there's nothing. Its an album that was made when the band were conquering the world and thought they were untouchable. And it shows. It is an appalling piece of work that really should have been rejected by the label as sub-standard. But of course it sold millions of copies across the globe which in the end was all the major labels are interested in. The industry was collectively so far up the band's backside at this point in time that a Grammy for best rock instrumental was awarded in 1982 to Behind My Camel, a track that was only included as there weren't enough proper songs, and which was even given a joke title (as in what if you find behind a camel - an enormous pile of shit...)
From Ghost In The Machine you'll find Secret Journey, a track released as a single in the USA instead of Invisible Sun. The band filled this album with horns and synths and it was a million miles away from the stuff they had been recording an playing live just three years earlier. For the most part it has dated appallingly.
And from the final album Synchronicity, there's not one sonf that's made the cut as it is, in my humble opinion, an album that is mind-numbingly dull and dreary.
So you may ask why are the band included in the series if I couldn't pick five - the simple answer is that everyone of us remembers the first time, and as I said earlier, this lot were my first live experience. And if it had been dreadful, I might have not remained such a big fan of music....
I'll be back with the full five from another favourite act next Friday.
Dubstar began life in the early 90s as a two-piece consisting of Chris Wilkie on guitar abdSteve Hillier on keyboards and vocals. By 1994 they had a new vocalist in Sarah Blackwood.
Like an awful lot of bands kicking around in that era, they were able to land a record deal as the industry decided that Britpop, however you wanted to define it, was the in-thing. Nobody wanted to miss out on the next Blur or Oasis (not that anyone came along and fulfilled the A&R mens wet dreams).
Dubstar were however, more worthy than most of their compatriots and recorded a number of quality songs across Disgraceful and Goodbye, the LPs released in 1995 and 1997 respectively.
A further album, Make It Better was released in 2000 but to little fanfare or acclaim. The band seemingly went their separate ways. Over the past decade Sarah Blackwood has been busy, forming the band Client in 2002, an electronic act that never really got beyond cult status other than a Top 30 single in 2005, thanks in part to the lead vocal being performed a former member of The Libertines.
She also released a solo record in 2008 which featured live and acoustic versions of songs by Dubstar and Client. Earlier this year, Dubstar announced they were going to get back together and record new material.
That's all the facts. And while I will never claim to be hugely interested in a lot of their work, or even all that aware of the stuff by Client, I do have a fondness for this Top 20 hit from 1995:-
mp3 : Dubstar - Not So Manic Now
Reminds me an awful lot of St Etienne.....
It was released on 2 x Cd formats, with CD1 having remixes of the singles and CD2 having three new songs. It's a huge contrast......
mp3 : Dubstar - Not So Manic Now (Way Out West Remix) mp3 : Dubstar - Not So Manic Now (Mother's Whole Dub) mp3 : Dubstar - Not So Manic Now (Way Out West Prophecy Dub) mp3 : Dubstar - If It Isn't You mp3 : Dubstar - Song No.9 mp3 : Dubstar - A Certain Sadness
And here's a reminder of how they all looked at the time of the hit:-
Oh and I shouldnt forget that they did a more than passable cover version of a Billy Bragg song on their debut LP:-
I mentioned the other week that I had been lucky enough to get along to the Halloween edition of nationalpopleague, the club night run by John Blain Hunt, the lead singer with the fabulous Butcher Boy.
A number of people came along to the night in fancy dress just for a bit of fun. I was particularly tickled by the couple who came along as matching milk cartons as a homage to the video that accompanied this 1999 single:-
mp3 : Blur - Coffee + TV
A cracking pop song - one of the best ever released by Blur, and it deserved a better chart placing than #11 all those years ago (and surely I'm not the only one who is surprised to realise it was 11 years ago....)
It was released on 2 x CD formats, with the b-sides being individual remixes ofBugman, one of the tracks found on 13, the LP released the same year to critical acclaim but to a bit of bafflement to those Blur fans who loved the sing-a-long stuff that had propelled them to the top of the charts and and the infamous battle v Oasis.
And a big thanks to the two folk who dressed as the milk cartons for inspiring today's post and reminding us all how innovative, memorable, sad but happy this little bit of film magic was:-
I am a daily reader of your tremendous blog. I am not exaggerating when I say I look forward to each day's new posting.
Anyway, I have a small favour to ask. Recently, my external hard drive crashed and I lost over 13,000 songs. Currently I am trying to restore my collection of Edwyn Collins, and one of my favourite tracks eludes me in the most irritating of fashions. I have searched for "Don't ShillyShally" all over the internet, through means legal and otherwise with no luck whatsoever. I believe it was through your blog that I acquired the mp3 in the first place. Is there any chance you could see fit to sending me a copy? I would be most indebted.
Thank you very much for your time
Ryan
Delighted to oblige Ryan. And here's the various versions I have to hand:-
I mentioned this CD when I posted a version of Raindrops a short while back. Someone called Colin (but not Comrade Colin occasionally of this parish) said it would be nice to get the whole thing.
Here's the sleeve notes in their entirety:-
Following the release of "Can our love..." and the soundtrack album "Trouble every day" October 2001 saw us embark on our most ambitious live project to date : touring europe (19 dates) playing each concert with a local string orchestra, meeting on the day, rehearsing in the afternoon and performing with them that evening.
After 10 dates we found ourselves in Berlin without our drummer Al (returning home due to illness). As there was never any question of replacing him we made the daunting decision to continue the tour, rebuilding the set and sound as we went along. The Berlin concert that night was fraught, but by the time we arrived in Lisbon (October 31st, the last night) we had gained something new and unexpected: a turning point that will resonate in our music for years to come.
We would like to thank our section leaders : Lucy, Calina, Rob, Sarah & Andy without whose energy and enthusiasm we would have been floundering. our management : Dave B & harry and our crew : David, Stewart, Anthony, Mark, Robin & Oscar for holding everything together.
A version of "Running Wild" appears on this recording, it was performed for the first time that night in Berlin and evolved on stage across the next 8 concerts, a "finished" version closes our sixth studio album "Waiting for the moon".
tindersticks
It was an official bootleg released by the band, limited to 2500 copies and sold on a subsequent tour. I looked and saw that one site was selling a copy for £49. I seem to recall it was about £10 or £12 at the time.
mp3 : Tindersticks - My Autumns Done Come mp3 : Tindersticks - Dying Slowly mp3 : Tindersticks - Kathleen mp3 : Tindersticks - Buried Bones mp3 : Tindersticks - Desperate Man mp3 : Tindersticks - Her mp3 : Tindersticks - She's Gone mp3 : Tindersticks - Bathtime mp3 ; Tindersticks - Running Wild mp3 : Tindersticks - Sleepy Song mp3 : Tindersticks - El Diablo En El Ojo mp3 : Tindersticks - Drunk Tank mp3 : Tindersticks - Raindrops mp3 : Tindersticks - Cherry Blossoms
I adore this whole LP. I think many of you will too.
In the absence of any material from the gang of correspondents, and to make up for the fact that yesterday's offering by The Smiths was an instrumental, here's something to do with this day of the week plus all the other sings that were on the 12" single:-
**mp3 : Morrissey - Everyday...... mp3 : Morrissey - Sister I'm A Poet mp3 : Morrissey - Will Never Marry mp3 : Morrissey - Disappointed
The second ever solo single and one that is among his most popular to this day, 22 years after it was first released. Probably because it reminds everyone of The Smiths. Particularly the majesty of There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.
It reached #9 in the UK charts in May 1988. Deserved much better.
Oh and the three other tracks on the single are all belters as well.
Here's a great version from a UK telly programme:-
Happy Listening.
** have a look at a prophetic comment left behind about dmca notices. It was served for the title song, but not the b-sides. Which makes me reckon it is a record label interested, not in the fact it is Morrissey, but in a paricular song cthat has been covered by an act on their roster. It was the same the other week when I got a dmca notice for a Nick Cave song called 'Accidents Will Happen' but not for 'Dig, Lazarus Dig'.
In late 1984, Johnny Marr moved into a new house in Bowden, just outside of Manchester. Its previous occupants had left behind an old upright piano (indeed, there's every chance that the young guitarist actually insisted it be left behind when he bought the property).
Said piano became an instrument on which a number of songs for his band were to be written. The first of these was this:-
mp3 : The Smiths - Oscillate Wildly
An instrumental which appeared originally as the extra track on the 12" release of How Soon Is Now (itself a re-released single after originally appearing on the 12" of William It Was Really Nothing).
One of three instrumentals recorded by The Smiths, its initial appearance came as something of a surprise to hardcore fans - especially as the writing credit was the familiar Morrissey/Marr. There was speculation that Morrissey had refused to write a lyric believing the tune to be too lightweight, while others said it was Marr stamping some of his authority on the band by not wanting a lyric and to show that the music was every bit as important as the lyrics.
The truth is however, that Morrissey came up with the concept as he explained in an interview years later in 1988:-
"I suggested that Oscillate Wildly should be an instrumental. Up until that point Johnny had very little interest in non-vocal tracks. There was never any political heave-hoing about should we/shouldn't we have an instrumental and it was never a battle of powers. I totally approved but, obviously, I didn't physically contribute."
It is acknowledged that Morrissey came up with the name of the track, but who it is named after has changed over the years. In 2002, Simon Goddard, widely acknowledged as an expert on all things Smiths and Morrissey related, wrote that the title was a pun on Oscar Wilde - which does seem obvious.
But in Mozipedia, released in 2009, the same author says it was taken from a line in the book From Reverance to Rape, written by Molly Haskell in 1974.
Either way, the track is a pleasant surprise. It uses the piano as lead instrument and thus paves the way for some of the great tracks that would later appear on Strangeways Here We Come and it also has some semi-orchestral arrangements courtesy of an Emulator keyboard which would be used to superb effect on a number of the tracks on The Queen Is Dead.
Having said that, I wasn't immediately fond of the track. I did miss the great man's vocals too much at the time, but it is a bit of music I've grown more fond of the older I've become and the way I can now relate it to the band's overall development and its link to what was yet to be recorded.
I’m now beginning to ask myself why I went ahead with this idea of selecting my five favourite LP tracks by some of my favourite acts. On all but one occasion so far, it has been an agonising set of choices I’ve given myself, and this week was much the same. I'm grateful to Jonny East/West for giving me a breal last wek.
This week's featured act only released records between 1978 and 1981, and there have now been more compilations than the actual four studio LPs. But the quality of the output of Magazine, certainly over the first three albums before some disillusionment at the lack of success led to lethargy, cannot be denied.
I’ve previously written about the excitement they brought my way in 2009 when they reformed and toured – I managed to see them in Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh and all three gigs were truly outstanding. I had long ago given up ever hearing some of my favourite songs of all time played in the live environment – notwithstanding that Morrissey made a more than passable stab at A Song From Under The Floorboards a few years back. The fact that one of the shows saw the band unannounced beforehand perform The Correct Use Of Soap in its entirety in the correct running order was something totally unexpected.
I’ll get one thing out of the way. None of the five songs chosen today come from the final LP Magic Murder and the Weather. Its not a brilliant record, but its nowhere near as poor a quality as some critic make out. It just comes nowhere near the sublime genius of Real Life, Secondhand Daylight or The Correct Use of Soap.
Over those three albums, the band released 28 songs of which 5 were issued as singles. That left just 23 tracks to whittle down to a rundown for this posting. I’ve done it. Just not sure how I managed it:-
mp3 : Magazine – Back To Nature mp3 : Magazine – Definitive Gaze mp3 : Magazine – Philadelphia mp3 : Magazine – The Light Pours Out Of Me mp3 : Magazine – You Never Knew Me
Critics of Magazine have often centred on the fact that some of the music, while claiming to be a mix of post-punk, prog and pop, is far too close to the pomposity of prog to be worthy of merit. To back this up, they highlight the highly accomplished keyboard work of Dave Formula and many of the songs on Secondhand Daylight, released in 1979 which is full of long tunes and shock horror, includes The Thin Air, an instrumental dominated by a saxophone solo. Undeniably, it is not a punk or even a new wave record if you want to follow a strict definition of those genres. But in many ways it straddled new wave and the electronica sound that would gain popularity soon after and make UK chart stars of Human League, Tubeway Army and Ultravox among others.
Back To Nature is a big tune in every way. It clocks in at well over 6 minutes. It opens with melodic piano. It swoops and it soars thereafter with a slapped bass underpinning every beat, including a swirling keyboard solo that would easily have met with the approval of any Genesis or Yes fan. It contains a strange rambling lyric that the listener isnt initially sure of, but it does seem to have some weird dream aspect with people with soft hands, akin to Cubans wearing surgical gloves, wanting to touch up our Howard. It shouldt work. But it does. It's the only song I've selected from Secondhand Daylight. I was tempted by Permafrost, but the creepy and disturbing and what could be interpreted as a hugely misogynous lyric does disturb me a little too much.
Jumping back in time, two tracks have made the cut from debut LP Real Life. One is the opening track that was eventually called Definite Gaze, although the early demos and indeed a Peel Session had it entitled as Real Life. I'm happy to admit that it’s the Formula fingerwork that wins me over with this one. It was quite unlike anything else happening at the time.
At the other end of the spectrum, it’s John McGeogh's contribution to The Light Pours Out Of Me that clinches that particular song's place in the final five today. Thirty-two years on and almost everyone I know is happy to acknowledge the debut single Shot By Both Sides as a genuine new-wave classic. It still has the ability to rocket me out of my seat and onto a dancefloor - as it did at the Little League night a couple of weeks when whisper it, I tried again to pogo. However, I really think that The Light Pours Out Of Me is far superior. It’s a tune that dates back to the early days of Buzzcocks which is why Pete Shelley gets a writing credit but there can be no doubtimng that McGeoch (who is also given a writing credit) is the real genius behind this bit of music.
It was a brave decision for the band to open with this track on the comeback tour. It was real test of the skills and abilities of Noko to fill the late McGeoch's shoes in the otherwise classic and definitive line-up of the band. But his playing on this track won over any doubters. It was perfect note-for-note and it had me brushing away tears of joy right there and then.
At one point, I really did think this week's piece would consist of The Light.. plus four tracks from The Correct Use Of Soap, a record released in May 1980 and which probably is the LP I've played in its entirety more than any other during my time on Planet Earth. It’s a stunning piece of work, and even allowing for the fact that two of its 10 tracks were released as singles and thus disqualified from inclusion today, I had a real problem working out which of the remainder I liked pr preferred more than the others. And I have changed my mind even as I'm typing.
It's an album that perfectly straddles new-wave, pop, electronica and dance. Yes, dance. I defy anybody who listens to their take on Sly Stone's ThankYou (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin) not to shake their collective asses. But as it was one of the two singles, it cant be included here. So it’s the tune that features another great bit of McGeoch trickery along a tear-jerker of a ballad.
One of the lines from Philadelphia has given its name to the one Magazine box set that was released back in in 2000 - Maybe It's Right To Be Nervous Now. The song itself is one that wouldn’t have been out of place on many a post-punk new wave LP, but three things really do lift it above most of the rest.
#1 Devoto's lyrics are astounding - sometimes clear as crystal ("Your clean-living, clear-eyed, clever, level-head brother says he'll put all the screws upon your newest lover), sometimes bizzare (Buddha's in the fireplace, the truth's in drugs from Outer Space) and sometimes so clever they're almost too smart-ass (Everything would be just fine if I had the right pastime, I'd have been Raskolnikov but Mother Nature ripped me off). But never dull.
#2 Devoto's delivery is among his best. Its machine-gun rapid fire at the outset and then he slows it down a wee bit in the middle before signing off with a heartfelt line that leads to…
#3 the McGeogh solo that has surely shattered a few wine glasses over the years with its intensity. Proof that you didn’t have to be an axe-monster in a rawk band to be a great and unique guitarist.
And finally, to round things off, I've gone for You Never Knew Me. The first and possibly only great weepy of the post-punk era. One that I played over and over and over again the first time I truly had my heart broken into tiny pieces. It still has the ability to upset me if I've had too much to drink. Costello-esque in its beauty and brutality.
I’m going to pour myself a stiff drink now as that was a very tough assignment. Any volunteers to take on the challenge of picking 5 tracks and then arguing why? The address is on the right-hand side…….
From July 1986. A #29 hit in the UK singles chart.
Somehow seems apt as winter sets in and the ConLibs set about squeezing the most vulnerable members of society. And over in America, a new sinister right-wing movement gets set to become part of the mainstream. Gee, its good to be alive.
Beneath the old iron bridges, across the victorian parks, & all the frightened people running home before dark, Past the Saturday morning cinema that lies crumbling to the ground, & the piss stinking shopping centre in the new side of town. I've come to smell the seasons change, & watch the city, as the sun goes down again.
Here comes another winter, of long shadows & high hopes, Here comes another winter, waitin for utopia, Waitin for hell to freeze over.
This is the land, where nothing changes, the land of red buses & blue blooded babies, This is the place, where pensioners are raped, & the hearts are being cut, from the welfare state, Let the poor drink the milk, while the rich eat the honey, Let the bums count their blessings, while they count the money.
So many people, can't express what's on their minds, Nobody knows them & nobody ever will, Until their backs are broken & their dreams are stolen, & they can't get what they want, then they're gonna get angry! Well it ain't written in the papers, but its written on the walls The way this country is divided to fall, So the cranes are moving on the skyline Trying to knock down this town But the stains on the heartland, can never be removed, from this country, that's sick, sad, and confused.
Here comes another winter, of long shadows & high hopes, Here comes another winter, waitin for utopia, Waitin for hell to freeze over.
The ammunition's being passed, and the lords been praised, But the wars on the televisions will never be explained, All the bankers gettin sweaty, beneath their white collars, As the pound in our pocket, turns into a dollar.
This is the 51st state of the U.S.A.
mp3 : The The - Heartland mp3 : The The - Sweet Bird Of Truth mp3 : The The - Born In The New S.A.
All ripped direct from vinyl. Sweet Bird Of Truth is an extended and different mix of the version of the song that appears on the Infected LP
Yes, I know it was originally released by The Village People in 1979, but it wasn't until Pet Shop Boys did their take on it in 1993 that it became a real institution.
The supporters of thousands of football clubs have adopted it in some shape or form - whether it be in homage to the team, or an individual player or perhaps in a derogatory manner either at their own side or the oppostion. I understand that it is also very popular in other team sports.
I's argue that outside of various national anthems and Happy Birthday (and I dont mean the Altered Images song.....), a variation on Go West must be about the most perfomed tune in the world these days.
Don't know about the rest of you, but I think the PSB version is about as perfect a production you can get on any recording:-
mp3 : Pet Shop Boys - Go West
Great video as well:-
Here's the additional tracks on the CD single:-
mp3 : Pet Shop Boys - Shameless mp3 : Pet Shop Boys - Go West (Mings Gone West : First and Second Movement)
Happy Listening...and make the most of it. Something a wee bit less cheery is coming your way tomorrow.
So at long last, the back catalogue of Orange Juice is finally made available, thanks to the efforts of Domino Records.
The thing is, I've been so busy that I havent had the chance to listen to any of Coals To Newcastle over the past 24 hours since I picked up my copy. But then again, given that I already know (and adore) about 90% of the tracks, its easy enough to offer a few thoughts.
Every album is here in its entirety, along with numerous b-sides, remixes, BBC sessions and a DVD release of the dAdA with the juicegig that was put on VHS in the mid 80s.
So, whether you love the Postcard stuff, or the albums that they recorded and released on their way to being bona-fide pop stars, or if, like me, your preference is for a lot of the later releases when in all truth it wasnt much more than an Edwyn Collins solo project, then Coals To Newcastle has something for you.
It's an essential purchase. It may seem like an expensive purchase at £45, but 6CDs and a DVD means it is actually a bargain.
What makes it particularly pleasing is the care and attention that has gone into the accompanying booklet. Loads of very rare and previously unseen photos, an entertaining and informative bio written by Simon Goddard (including a few snippets that I'm sure are new to even the most hardcore of fans) and all the details and information behind every single one of the 124 tracks across the box set.
If you don't fancy forking out so much money just now, then I insist that you ask Santa Claus to put it in your stocking this coming Christmas. It is THE essential item that should be on every music fan's list......
Here's one from the boxset I've been after for years:-
mp3 : Orange Juice - Felicity (flexi version)
This came with the earliest versions of the Falling And Laughing single (and that in itself is near impossible to track down without having to re-mortgage your house).
And here's one that isn't part of the boxset:-
mp3 : Orange Juice - I Can't Help Myself (12" version)
The boxset has the 7" version and the version that appears on the Rip It Up LP. However, the 12" version is some 21 seconds longer (ie the sax solo takes a bit longer to fade out.
Oh and eventually I'll finish this post off with another bit of footage shot at the Oran Mor the other night
As homecoming gigs go, this was as triumphant as it gets.
A sell-out crowd at Oran Mor in the trendy West End of Glasgow roared their approval just after 9pm as Edwyn Collins, assisted by his wonderful wife Grace Maxwell, climbed a short flight of stairs and made his way to centre-stage to take his customary seated position where his microphone, his lyric sheets and his bottle of water awaited him. He was dapper and handsome wearing a smart suit and old-fashioned panama-style hat, albeit I thought he looked a bit more tired around the eyes than he’d seemed on the other gigs I’d seen him perform since his comeback.
The band, consisting of a number of his oldest and most loyal comrades – Andy Hackett on guitar, Paul Cook on drums and Carwyn Ellis on bass – together with Tom Edwards on guitar and Boz Boorer (yes the same Boz from Moz!!!) on keyboards – launched into Losing Sleep, the title track from Edwyn's LP. The noise levels within Oran Mor went up a notch further. Then Edwyn joined in on vocals…..and immediately we all knew it was going to be treated to something really special.
This was the sight and sound of a talent on top form and someone clearly invigorated by the fact he knows that the quality of songs on his new LP are as good a collection as anything he has recorded in a career that now spans 30 years. Maybe some people who came along to the gigs in recent years have done so out of a sense of loyalty and sympathy, eager to show their support for Edwyn as he tries to show that while his illnesses may have affected his mobility, they have had no impact on his ability as a songwriter and performer. Others may have gone along hoping to hear some old Orange Juice classics one more time, with the bonus of the guitar talents of Roddy Frame.
Tonight however feels different from the outset. The audience cheer as loudly for Losing Sleep material as they do for the ‘classics’. The guest vocals on the new songs are taken by Carwyn for the most part, although Andy and Boz do a lot of the harmonies. It all sounds fantastic, save for the occasional blast of feedback that is a result of someone being a wee bit too close to a monitor.
It is a set that races along at an unbelievable pace and is always top-drawer quality. Thanks to the infusion of some half-a-dozen of the new songs, it is a more coherent and balanced set than recent tours. There’s still more than enough OJ songs to keep those of us from that era satisfied (and I reckon about 80% of the audience were in the 40-something or older bracket, the remainder were young hipsters obviously impressed at how many of their own contemporary heroes have said Edwyn is such an influence - Consolation Prize, Dying Day, Falling and Laughing, Rip It Up and What Presence all get an airing. But so do some of the best songs from the solo era including Make Me Feel Again, Don’t Shilly Shally, The Wheels of Love and A Girl Like You.
It was the last-named that got the second loudest roar of the night. Not because it’s his biggest and best-known song, but for the simple fact that Edwyn, as he first did in January 2009 at this Celtic Connections gig in Glasgow, got to his feet and sang his heart out. And when his vocal ends, he says goodnight and exits stage right, leaving his highly talented band to play out the song for another two or three minutes.
Those of us who have seen him before know that the great man is merely taking a breather. He’s determined to do an encore. Yes, it would be easier for him just to stay put and not go through the difficulty of edging his way back down the stairs only to come back up them a few minutes later. But Edwyn is determined to do things properly.
It’s just him and Carwyn who come back on stage. And the pace slows as Carwyn plays acoustic guitar and Edwyn sings the two songs that close the current LP. That’s where you can detect a slight frailty in his voice but it is marginal and it it is also quite clear that his voice is much stronger than it was this time two years ago on the first of the comeback gigs.
The loudest roar of the night came for the second half of the encore. The band come back to take their places, joined by William Collins – Edwyn’s son who by the year is becoming more and more the spitting image of his dad when he was a young man. William is on stage to sing co-vocals on In Your Eyes, one of the truly outstanding tracks on the new LP, and one co-written and performed by members of The Drums. Master Collins is a star in the making, as hopefully you will soon see for yourself from one of the two video clips I managed to shoot at the gig (I’m only sorry the memory card runs out about 30 seconds before the conclusion of In Your Eyes – the roar of approval from the crowd was so heartfelt).
Then it was Blue Boy. The song that more than any other has become THE definitive Orange Juice song thanks to the way Edwyn has been performing it in recent years. What a way to finish. I couldn’t get the grin off my face. And I wasn’t alone.
A slow amble out into the cold and wet Glasgow night via the merchandising stall where I pick up a t-shirt that harks back to the Postcard era and a copy of Coals to Newcastle, the Orange Juice box-set issued by Domino Records. And there will be more on that tomorrow…..
mp3 : Edwyn Collins - Losing Sleep mp3 : Edwyn Collins - Make Me Feel Again
Edwyn still has some UK dates coming up in the next week or so – Newcastle, Manchester, Preston, Liverpool, Bristol and Birmingham.
Later this month and early into December, Edwyn will be appearing in Paris, The Hague, Barcelona, Madrid, Brussels, Cologne, Munich and Schorndof, before what will surely be a triumphant appearance at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival on 11th December at Minehead in Somerset, England. Full details of all the gigs can be found here.
Get yourself along if you live near any of these cities. You’re in for a treat.
Special thanks to Comrade Colin for the photo that accompanies this posting.
Yup...I'm in there. Left hand side. Grey t-shirt. Baldier than I like to think I am. Way fatter than I'd like to be. But at 47, I can still get up on a dance floor with the best of them.
The occasion was the latest Nationalpopleague event, compered by none other than John Blain Hunt of Butcher Boy. As ever, it was an astonishingly good night. With a set-list like this, it is impossible to fail:-
JOHN CARPENTER - HALLOWEEN MAIN THEME CHORDETTES - MR SANDMAN SHANGRILAS - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE ROBERT WYATT - SHIPBUILDING VINCE GUARALDI - A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING FURNITURE - BRILLIANT MIND INSPIRAL CARPETS - MOVE LOTUS EATERS - FIRST PICTURE OF YOU NICO - THESE DAYS BELLE AND SEBASTIAN - SIMPLE THINGS GO BETWEENS - THAT WAY CARLY SIMON - WHY? BRILLIANT CORNERS - BRIAN RIX LESLEY GORE - MAYBE I KNOW KING - TASTE OF YOUR TEARS JAM - THE BITTEREST PILL SMITHS - YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING NOW SONS AND DAUGHTERS - DANCE ME IN MONOCHROME SET - EINESYMPHONIE DES GRAUENS CHRIS KERSEN - MON AMI EVIE SANDS - I CAN'T LET GO RAILWAY CHILDREN - A GENTLE SOUND HEFNER - SAD WITCH ISLEY BROTHERS - HARVEST FOR THE WORLD AZTEC CAMERA - PILLAR TO POST GOODBYE MR MACKENZIE - THE RATTLER JAMES - HYMN FROM A VILLAGE DAVID BOWIE - ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS A CERTAIN RATIO - SHACK UP MAGNETIC FIELDS - STRANGE POWERS LOFT - UP THE HILL AND DOWN THE SLOPE MCCARTHY - CHARLES WINDSOR HUGGY BEAR - HER JAZZ SLEATER-KINNEY - START TOGETHER JUNE BRIDES - IN THE RAIN SERGE GAINSBOURG - INITIALS BB MY BLOODY VALENTINE - WHEN YOU WAKE YOU'RE STILL IN A DREAM VOXTROT - FOUR LONG DAYS FIELD MICE - CLEARER LIGHTNING SEEDS - PURE LEFT BANKE - I'VE GOT SOMETHING ON MY MIND YAZOO - NOBODY'S DIARY SAINT ETIENNE - YOU'RE IN A BAD WAY ROXY MUSIC - OVER YOU MCKINLEY SISTERS - SWEET AND TENDER ROMANCE FALL - CREEP PRIMITIVES - STOP KILLING ME REM - GARDENING AT NIGHT DEL SHANNON - RUNAWAY TINDERSTICKS - BATHTIME MELBA MOORE - THE MAGIC TOUCH VERONICA FALLS - BEACHY HEAD FELT - BALLAD OF THE BAND TALULAH GOSH - TALULAH GOSH ELVIS PRESLEY - HIS LATEST FLAME SMITHS - RUSHOLME RUFFIANS BELLE AND SEBASTIAN - MY WANDERING DAYS ARE OVER MARTHA AND THE MUFFINS - ECHO BEACH VELVET UNDERGROUND - ROCK AND ROLL LOVE - ALONE AGAIN OR PIXIES - HOLIDAY SONG ORANGE JUICE - BLUEBOY SIMON AND GARFUNKEL - THE SOUND OF SILENCE STONE ROSES - MADE OF STONE TALKING HEADS - ONCE IN A LIFETIME PAVEMENT - UNFAIR PAVEMENT - GOLD SOUNDZ MORRISSEY - YOU'RE GONNA NEED SOMEONE ON YOUR SIDE GO BETWEENS - BYE BYE PRIDE OMD - ELECTRICITY KIRSTYMACCOLL - A NEW ENGLAND TRASHCAN SINATRAS - OBSCURITY KNOCKS DEPECHE MODE - ENJOY THE SILENCE HIDDEN CAMERAS - BREATHE ON IT LLOYD COLE AND THE COMMOTIONS - RATTLESNAKES JOY DIVISION - LOVE WILL TEAR US APART MAGAZINE - SHOT BY BOTH SIDES MADONNA - LIKE A PRAYER SLITS - HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPVINE CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN - TAKE THE SKINHEADS BOWLING WEDDING PRESENT - KENNEDY SMITHS - ACCEPT YOURSELF SHIRLEY ELLIS - THE CLAPPING SONG JACKIE WILSON - HIGHER AND HIGHER DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS - GENO BELLE AND SEBASTIAN - THERE'S TOO MUCH LOVE ARCADE FIRE - REBELLION (LIES) ASSOCIATES - PARTY FEARS TWO
I arrived at the venue as The Bitterest Pill was being played. I first got on the dance floor to Hymn From A Village. I didn't sit down too often after that. Personal highlights on the night:-
mp3 : Talulah Gosh - Talulah Gosh
Some did a twee dance all the way through. I prefer to semi-pogo during the chorus. I think the cool things were horrified
mp3 : OMD - Electricity
The joy of realising you can readily do the Ian Curtis to this - dont move anything from below the waist and wave your arms around a lot.
mp3 : Wedding Present - Kennedy
In which I totally lost it.
mp3 : The Smiths - Accept Yourself
Immediately after TWP, somehow I still had the energy to do my best Mozza impression - during which a young lady, probably half my age, joined in and said she was having a great time. Whether she meant for that particular song or for the whole evening, I will never know.......
Thanks John for an unforgettable night. And apologies to anyone on the dancefloor who I bumped into in my exuberance....
I consider myself to have been very privileged to be at such a memorable gig as this one.
For anyone who doesn't know, The Indelicates are an English band. Their most recent album tells you six musicians performed on it - Ed van Beinum, Al Clayton, Bastien Eppler, Keith TOTP, Simon Indelicate and Julia Indelicate. But for the most part, it is Simon and Julia's band - they are the songwriters, the vocalists and the only two who appear in most promo and record sleeves.
And in Glasgow the other night, the only two members of the band on the stage.
Their most recent LP Song For Swinging Lovers was released in April 2010 on download as a 'pay-what-you-like basis' and then given a standard release in June 2010. Well, I say standard, but what in fact happened was the band released it in a number of formats including one which offered the chance to buy a 'Super Special Edition' that included an acoustic show.
Two Glasgow fans - Sara and Tony - decided to follow through on this offer. So, during the week, Simon and Julia Indelicte came to Glasgow and performed an acoustic/unplugged/stripped-down version of the LP to an audience who were charged the ridiculously low amount of £3 for entry. The show was recorded, and as part of the deal, the rights to the recording are legally passed to Sara and Tony who will benefit from its upcoming release on Corporate Records (more on that later).
As a concept, this was something I was glad to be part of (and thanks to Comrade Colin for bringing to my attention - for one reason or another, it has been a full 2 weeks since I've been able to browse the internet and so this would have passed me by).
But it was a real joy to be there, for this was one of the most enjoyable gigs I can recall in many a year.
All of the songs were played in the order they appear on the album - and given I hadn't yet got round to buying it, this was the first time I had heard any of them. And I loved every single track. It was impossible not to.
There was a real enthusiasm in the way Simon and Julia approached this performance. They were smiling from the second they bounced on stage and never stopped interacting with the audience, which numbered around 60. If they weren't musicians, they could easily forge a career as a comedy partnership. They were spontaneous, witty, charming and incredibly entertaining. Oh and they weren't afraid to take the piss out of themselves either.
In some ways, it was more akin to a brilliant and unique cabaret performance that would get put on at the Edinburgh Fringe in the month of August than a gig. I went along hopeful of a good time, I came away wondering how long it would be until I was part of a such a perfect night.
After Songs For Swinging Lovers had been played in its entirety (or as Simon said, with a twinkle in his eye and his tongue in his cheek, after they had fulfilled their contractual obligations) we were treated to an exclusive preview of an upcoming track from their next LP, which is a concept album called David Koresh Superstar and then three old favourites from the 2008 LP, American Demo. All of which were nothing short of sensational.
I also came away from the night thinking that The Indelicates might well be the most innovative and imaginative band on Planet Earth at this point in time. Not only do we have the punk ethos of having the band interact so much with fans that they will perform a one-off gig and then pass on the recording rights to the fans, but there's the very way that the label they have established, the afore-mentioned Corporate Records operates.
Here's what it says on the website:-
Welcome To Corporate Records, a new kind of record company that you can sign to any time it suits you. As the traditional music industry struggles to adapt to the challenge of the internet, we make it simple for musicians to share, sell and promote their work. Sell single tracks or group them into multiple albums, set minimum prices or use a pay-what-you-like system, embed your tracks in blogs and share static download links on twitter and facebook... Corporate Records is designed to reflect the music market that exists and to make it easy for artists to get all they can from it.
It's free, simple and quick to sign up and, after paypal charges, you'll receive 80% of the revenue you generate. We take no rights, no setup fees and your music is available immediately. Take control, we're here for you to exploit.
As the meerkat might say......seemples.
I wanted so much to put something back after the gig that I ended up buying the latest long-player on CD as well as 3 x 7" singles and a six-track EP on CD. I was fascinated to read what it said on the back of Songs For Swinging Lovers:-
The copyright in this recording is owned by The Indelicates. The band waives the right to prevent you copying the data to your computer. They ask that, if you wish to share the music, you direct friends to http://corporaterecords.co.uk/artists/the+indelicates/songs+for+swinging+lovers/ where the album is available on a pay-what-you-like-basis (including free)
After all the grief some of us have been having in recent months this is just music to the ears. (Right now, I cant seem to be haunted by the folk who look after Elvis Costello - they even issued a dmca notice for a song called Accidents Will Happen that wasn't even written or recorded by him!!).
The best thing about all this is that the music made and performed by The Indelicates is hugely enjoyable. It is not simply art for arts sake.
This is the list of acts they cite as influences on the myspace site:-
The KLF, Carter USM, Joy Division, Art Goblins, Morrissey, Dresden Dolls, Cyndi Lauper, Sex Pistols, The Killers, Art Brut, The Flesh Happening, The Space Peacocks, Lily Rae, Philip Jeays, The White Stripes, Elvis.
Surely there's at least one act up there to get you interested.
This is probably their best known song. Released as their debut single in July 2006, this version is taken from the American Demo LP:-
mp3 : The Indelicates - We Hate The Kids
And here's one from Songs For Swinging Lovers:-
mp3 : The Indelicates - Sympathy For The Devil
And as they band ask, please pop over here where the LP is available.....
Oh and some very fine old stuff is kicking around on youtube:-
While a lot of the new songs have had official promos made which can be found at this site.
Finally. If you live in Germany, there's a chance The Indelicates will be coming near your home next month:-
1 Dec 2010 - Haus III & 70, HAMBURG, 2 Dec 2010 - SONIC BALLROOM, KOLN 3 Dec 2010 - AMP, MUNSTER, 4 Dec 2010 - BANG BANG (KARRERA KLUB), BERLIN, 5 Dec 2010 - KULTURFABRIK, OBERHAUEN 7 Dec 2010 - KULT41, BONN 8 Dec 2010 - KULTURFABRIK, KREFELD 9 Dec 2010 - KLEINE FREIHEIT, OSNABRUCK 10 Dec 2010 - SPARTE 4, SAARBRUCKEN 11 Dec 2010 - CAFE CENTRAL, WEINHEIM 12 Dec 2010 - LAAB, MUNICH 14 Dec 2010 - Zwolfzehn, STUTTGART 15 Dec 2010 - ALTER SCHLACHTHOF, WIESBADEN 16 Dec 2010 - OSTPOL, DRESDEN 17 Dec 2010 - ILSES ERIKA, LEIPZIG 18 Dec 2010 - PROJEKT 7, MAGDEBURG
Consider today's posting to be the equivalent of a broadsheet Sunday paper with all sorts of supplements. So you dont need to digest it all in one sitting. Please come back and view or listen to a different bit day after day. There's no additional charge.
PS From Friday 19 November.
I've just been served a dmca notice about this post. Surely that's some sort of sick joke bearing in mind how this band operate and how I crafted the original postimg which encouraged all sorts of support from them.
I'm guessing someone out there is taking the pish. I'm ignoring the notice....
As debuts go, this is really rather splendid:-
