Skinny Puppy – Stairs And Flowers (US 12″)

Well Happy Halloween from the Capital of Gothica, Whitby !

I type this from the Bed of delightful B&B nursing the mother of all hangovers. I’ve been going to Whitby a good few years now and have made many great friends. The place itself is warm (not literally) and very accepting of the black invasion.

So thanks to Mike B for supplying me with a suitably scary song. I have a long, love affair with Skinny Puppy and their brand of scary industrial. I defy anyone to listen to “Fritter (Stella’s Home)” off VIVIsect VI with the lights off! This is from 1987 and features dancing, breakbeats (even more so on the DEF mix) and horror film samples. It does seem to plod along a bit with the best scares coming from the “Too Far Gone” version. “Chainshaw” is nice, pounding and classic Skinny Puppy. The remix of “Assimilate” sounds a bit cluttered, too much going on. Trent Reznor was busy taking notes!

NEW LINK 2022

https://gofile.io/d/GaSMR3

Capitol Records ‎– V-15281 

A1-Stairs And Flowers (Def Wish Mix)-6:00

A2-Stairs And Flowers (Too Far Gone)-6:34

AA1-Chainsaw-5:53

AA2-Assimilate (Remix)-6:31

Shriekback – Lined Up (12″)

Mike B reminded me of this track when he sent me this. Yup, I do have this and did put it on my old blog years ago, great minds think alike!

From 1983 and a bit of a slow burner, built on Dave Allen’s great bass riff, I like someone’s description of the band as a “Sinister” XTC. This is a definite lost gem!

Weird B- side Hapax Legomena (the title means a word that occurs only once within a context, either in the written record of an entire language) This probably explains the weird cut up sounds and voices!

NEW LINK 2022

https://gofile.io/d/ZNAyT4

Y Records ‎– YT 102T

A	Lined Up (Disco Mix)
B1	Lined Up (Instrumental Mix)
B2	Hapax Legomena

Scritti Politti feat. Miles Davis – Oh Patti (Don’t Feel Sorry For Loverboy) (12″)

• Updated , From 1988 and a song dedicated to beleaguered Chelsea Manchester United Manager, José Mourinho! A sweet synthpop ballad given a very clean production, check out the instrumental for that Atlantic Studio sheen! I prefer the instrumental for a clearer listen to those two rather short trumpet solo’s from Miles Davis. The power of the Synclavier sampler is in full effect on the 12″ version. Lush would be a good adjective for the sound especially from the synths of David Gamson.(I think Prefab Sprout / ABC’s “Ocean Blue” when I hear this.) A melancholic ballad.

Virgin VST 1006

A-Oh Patti (Don’t Feel Sorry For Loverboy) (12″ Version)-6:31

B1-Oh Patti (Don’t Feel Sorry For Loverboy)-4:20

B2-Oh Patti (Don’t Feel Sorry For Loverboy) (Instrumental)-4:20

NEW LINK 2018

https://www40.zippyshare.com/v/BaiKI8QC/file.html

The The – Infected (12″)

The normal twelve with the normal sleeve (!) and a pioneering track. Matt Johnson’s “Infected” album from which this was taken was unique, it had a video for all of the tracks, mixed technology with intelligent song writing and if released now would walk away with the Mercury Music Prize. The video for this was shot in Bolivia and directed by Throbbing Gristle / Phsychic Youth / Coil / Threshold’s, Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson. So with the song it’s all about the pumping bass!  Released at a time when AIDS was very much in the news, the line “Infect me with your love ” didn’t seem like such a good idea at the time. Produced with Warne Livesey it featured Tessa Niles and Zeke Manyika (Ex Orange Juice) on backing vocals. Again David Palmer does the drums with Dan Brown enhancing that bass-line. Jazz trumpet player, Guy Barker, gives us that distinctive solo. Interestingly, Roli Mosimann (Ex Swans) mixes the short “Energy” mix which has a definite bit of sub-bass! Whilst “Disturbed” is a suitably experimental and dark studio muck about, using the drum patterns from “Infected” and treated bass (whale noises)

NEW LINK 2022

https://gofile.io/d/0I02aI

Some Bizarre TRUTH T3

A	Infected	6:10
B1	Infected (Energy Mix)	3:25
B2	Disturbed	2:25

The Flying Lizards – Sex Machine (12″)

From 1984 and the weirdest cover you will ever hear! James Brown gets the Flying Lizards treatment which means disjointed, sampled noise, spoken posh girl vocals and humour. Sparse minimalism! This was the last release from the David Cunningham studio project “The Flying Lizard” ; it featured the deadpan voices of Michael Upton (R.I.P. -a painter and contemporary of David Hockney) and Sally Peterson (famous voice over artist) “Flesh & Steel” is even more avant garde, drum machines, voice and orchestral samples; the sound of artists getting to grips with the, then, amazing possibilities of samplers. Pioneering stuff !

NEW LINK 2020

https://www.sendspace.com/file/273vpa

https://gofile.io/d/ACBrNE

Statik Records TAK 19-12

A1	Sex Machine (Extended Version)	6:36
A2	Machine Sex	2:13
B1	Flesh And Steel (Extended Version)	8:26

Lene Lovich – New Toy (12″)

Nearly a year to the day since I posted the 6-track mini-album “New Toy” by Lene Lovich and Mike B has kindly provided the 12″ Extended Version that I’d not come across before. From 1981 and a collaboration with Thomas Dolby, both have featured it in their live sets. The extended mix has more Dolby signature synth but it’s not long being under 5 minutes long! Shame! It’s backed by the Ska- tinged instrumental, “Cat’s Away.”

The mini-album is over here

Lene Lovich – New Toy (Mini – Album)

NEW LINKS 2021

https://gofile.io/d/Oq1Io4

Stiff Records BUYIT 97 

A	New Toy (Extended Version)
B	Cats Away

Paul King – I Know (US & UK 12″)

Which leads me to another Mike B contribution….. (what a coincidence!)

This is the second single from Paul King again using Dan Hartman and the full PWL crew for the remix, so you know what sounds to expect! Both dub mixes are fun, whilst the Fresh Mix has more guitar in it and similar to the 7″. Sheer 80’s Pop!

NEW LINK 2023

https://store11.gofile.io/download/direct/1730e612-b125-41f8-b6e1-e4f9199b68b0/Paul%20King%20-%20I%20Know%20-%20U.S.%2012”%20Remixes%20(4)%20-%201987%20-%20MP3%20320.rar

Epic ‎– 49 6866

A1	I Know (Instant Magic Mix)	5:20
A2	I Know (Instant Magic Dub Mix)	5:20
B1	I Know (Fresh Mix)	5:28
B2	I Know (Dub It Fresh Mix)	3:47

Additionally I’ve had the UK 12″ knocking about with the additional B-side “Some Riisks”, a good mix of funk, synth pop with  bit of Prince influence.

NEW LINK 2023

https://store2.gofile.io/download/direct/61b1e86e-c00d-4aa4-8b6b-1d8bbadb859c/PaulKingIKnow.rar

CBS ‎– PKING T1

A	I Know (Fresh Mix)
B1	I Know (Dub It Fresh Mix)
B2	Some Risk

Paul King – Follow My Heart (12″)

Rare male solo artist stuff continues…

From 1987 and from the short lived solo career of Paul King,(of the band King) he obviously saw the success of George Michael .The debut single sees him team up with American producer Dan Hartman and Engineer Chris Lord Alge and Mixmaster Pete Hammond to help launch a solo career. The track itself is mid-paced with lots of Brass, blue-eyed soul and not a bad track if truth be known. B-side is a weird mix of the lead track and previous King hit “Love And Pride” given a starker more “brutal” dance remix, interesting!  The solo career didn’t work out so he went on to work as VJ and producer for MTV Networks Europe in 1989.

NEW LINK 2023

https://store6.gofile.io/download/direct/46bfe0c2-058b-4cec-a4c0-1da9b7bcf84b/Paul%20King%20-%20Follow%20My%20Heart.rar

CBS PKING T2

A	Follow My Heart (Heartbeat Mix)
B	Love-Pride And Brutality

Climie Fisher – This Is Me (12″)

A re-release from 1988 of Climie Fisher’s debut single from 1986.(Got that?) Climie Fisher comprised of Rob Fisher (R.I.P.)(Keyboards) and Simon Climie (Vocals) and first came to my attention with “Rise To The Occasion”. Purveyors of light synthpop, I always see them as a prototype Savage Garden, it’s that sort of musical territory. Produced by Steve Lillywhite and featuring Kirsty McColl on backing vocals. The band are joined by some great session musicians; Pino Paladino on bass, Session drummer David Palmer, (Ex-Clock DVA, ABC, YMO) Neil Taylor (session guitarist with Tears For Fears and Robbie Williams current guitarist!) and Louis Jardim striking a few pots and pans!

An epic 12″ (I’m guessing remixed by Phil Harding, PWL- although he’s not credited) builds and builds in good old 80’s fashion and is nearly 9 minutes long, less is more ? Backed by “Far Across The Water” which is a good track, veering towards synth folk with Nik Kershaw sprinkles!

http://netkups.com/?d=265c1be437cce

http://www86.zippyshare.com/v/C7rJPCKQ/file.html

EMI – 12EMX 58

A	This Is Me (Extended Version)	8:56
B1	This Is Me (7″ Version)
B2	Far Across The Water

Tom Robinson – Rikki Don’t Lose That Number (12″)

From 1984 and it finds Tom Robinson using synths! “Rikki…” was originally written by the Steely Dan duo of Donald Fagan and Walter Becker. Yes, there is a synth bass bubbling along in the background, Robinson succumbing to technology. The 12″ version is produced by the legend that is Robin Millar and like a lot of the posts on this blog sank into obscurity! Expect and receive saxophone remember it is the 80’s. It was taken from his album , “Hope & Glory.” This is backed by the innuendo filled , live version of “Cabin Boy” as quick as the album version with the band in full swing, jeez Tom, calm down!

NEW LINK 2021

https://gofile.io/d/XFexL3

Castaway Records ‎– TRT 2

A	Rikki Don’t Lose That Number (Extended Version)	5:38
B	Cabin Boy (Live Version)	4:14