Continuing the party theme and this from 1993 and again with a strong mancunian connection (via Wrexham and Chester), this was their first on the major Parlophone after much underground success. Sung by Bobbi Depasois this was a top 20 hit and was one of the anthems. The Dub mix is lot darker and harder and long techno track, “1,2,3” with shades of Babylon Zoo and Mody via some industrial metal beating , assisted by a mix by Weatherall’s Sabres Of Paradise.
Daft name but a quality party toon. Rohan Heath was the mancunian keyboard player behind it with the distinct vocals of Diane Charlemagne keeping a northern vibe. Four mixes, with the ” glamourous ” mix being close to the single version. The Kamoflage stuff is a bit darker with a very dubby bass on the “Dub Mix” surprise, surprise!!
Unbelievably this was from 1988 and a great cover of the Baccharach & David track by Bristol’s Smith & Mighty. Predating the Trip Hop movement it uses the Donna Summer version as the main sample backbone. Three decent mixes here, the “R&R” one being more uptempo, the “Remix” itself is quite dubby and experimental as you would expect.
Happy Christmas to all the visitors to the blog !!!!!!!!
Over to the Culture Club and this amazing 12″ from 1986. As their popularity waned they could still put out a great tune. This has been given the full 80’s 12″ makeover with lots of added studio trickery. The B-side again is another long remix (10 min+) of high tempo track “Sexuality (Tango Dub Remix Version)” which isn’t a dub mix at all because it has plenty of vocals. The production is so slick, helped by Turkish producer Arif Mardin and American engineer Lew Hahn.
Obscure release of the week award goes to this from 1989 on Anxious Records. A bit of rock and some blues are evident on this 4 tracker (which bizarrely has a live version of the title track included?) The title track is very Stones like, “Snake Talk” has some prog elements, whilst “Joe Lean” loves to a be a “Boys Keep Swinging” Bowie. The live tracks were recorded at the Moles in Bath.
From 1990 and this great 4 tracker from River City People. This Liverpool folk rock band actually formed in 1986 with the amazing voice (and looks) of Siobhan Maher. This was their biggest hit thanks to their brilliant cover of “California Dreaming” the other A-side “Carry The Blame” was a poignant anti-abortion song sounding ever so like Talk Talk in terms of the musical backing. The B-sides are both live tracks recorded from London’s Town & Country Club and certainly proved they could cut it live! I love the Gothy guitar on “Under The Rainbow” Great stuff from an overlooked band.
From 1985 and some stuff from the Scottish Indie band, The Bluebells. It is the follow up to “Young At Heart” and has a much more harder guitar sound. Powerful but with those gentle songs. The 12″ mix starts off a bit like “Start Me Up” but works towards a rousing chorus.
The politics kick in on the 2 B-sides. With the Strike supporting acoustic of the “Ballad Of Joe Hill” and the gutsy guitar of the anti Falklands War song, “South Atlantic Way” a cracking little gem of a track here in its “full” version.
So as the party season descends on us I thought I’d dig this well preserved piece of vinyl from 1982. The follow up to the fiddletastic “Come On Eileen” but not as big a hit. This was a cover of a Van Morrison track from 1972 and at the time, like a lot of other impressional youths I did not realise. A three track 12″ the other tracks are “T.S.O.P.” ( think a funkier “Come On Eileen”) and “Let’s Make This Precious” a wonderful track with superb lyrics. Rowland’s voice and ragged gypsy image was unique amongst the make up of the New Romantics and good on him for being different.
A slice of post punk / new wave from 1979 and this compilation on A&M Records. Quite rare tracks especially from Joe Jackson and The Police (their 2 live tracks, that I’ve kept together, showed the blistering pace of the young newcomers!) Altogether a great snapshot of the scene still coming to terms with the death of punk.
1 Granati Brothers – Go crazy (live) 2 Joe Jackson – Throw it away (live) 3 Joe Jackson – Come on (live) 4 The Police – Landlord (live) 5 The Police – Next to you (live) 6 The Reds – Joey 7 Bobby Henry – Head case 8 Joe Jackson – Don’t ask me (exclusive track) 9 Squeeze – Slap & tickle 10 David Kubinec – Another lone ranger 11 Shrink – Valid or void
From 1989/90 this varied Soundtrack accompanied a film I’m going to revisit this weekend. The Deep South violence of “Wild At Heart”. As with the film there is a lot of reverbed guitar with the best stuff being the 2 Chris Isaak tracks (“Wicked Game” and “Blue Spanish Sky”) and the mental metal of Powermad with “Slaughterhouse.” Dark Symphony pieces by Angelo Badalamenti give it that “Twin Peaks” vibe. With Nicolas Cage doing his best Elvis impression this is an eclectic mix, a bit like this blog!
Continuing the party theme and this from 1993 and again with a strong mancunian connection (via Wrexham and Chester), this was their first on the major Parlophone after much underground success. Sung by Bobbi Depasois this was a top 20 hit and was one of the anthems. The Dub mix is lot darker and harder and long techno track, “1,2,3” with shades of Babylon Zoo and Mody via some industrial metal beating , assisted by a mix by Weatherall’s Sabres Of Paradise. 
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