Classix Nouveaux = クラシックス・ヌヴォー* ‎– Singles = シングルス (Japan LP)

I’m going to come clean on my relationship with CN , having dabbled in buying a few records in my youth and then going off them big time. Yes, they appeared on my listening radar around 1982 with me the buying of “La Verité.” It was a weird one sitting alongside “Rage In Eden” and Zaine Griff’s “Figures”, all quite grandiose and very cool for a dewy eyed 13 year old!

I like most of the album but I think peer pressure made me dislike them. Friends at that tender age needed impressing and a bald, slightly operatic Sal Solo (in a skirt) was not really a role model for a load of working class lads from Barrow-in-Furness, home of the nuclear submarine. So I lost it/got rid of it and tried not to listen to CN again. If only had I been older and not worried about what others listened to.

Reacquainting myself with them in the last few decades and on this compilation of early stuff (Thanks Fred) they had a load of good songs. They certainly had a enough synth and technology in the arrangements that my immature ears loved but would not admit. I still have problems with the vocals, they can grate. Still can’t listen to “Night People” without laughing.

On researching I’m guilty of not knowing that the band were in fact X-Ray Spex with Solo fronting (well 2 from the original Punk Band)!! Bake Paul Hurding on drums, percussion and saxophone, Gary Steadman on Guitars and Guitar synth, Mik Sweeney on backing vocals, Bass, Guitar, Synthesizer, Keyboards  (and also the producer) and Sal Solo on lead Vocals, Guitar, Synthesizer and Keyboards. Guitarist, the late Jake Stafford, (Jak Airport) who was in X-Ray Spex soon left, retiring from music altogether.

It is Glam Rock meets New Romantics. They had a large following in Europe through constant touring.

This is a good introduction to the band, with all the singles (not in order) up to but not including, “The End… Or The Beginning?” – so basically all the good stuff. Like the drama of “Old World For Sale” and the anthemic “Inside Outside”

https://www.sendspace.com/file/05atm9

https://gofile.io/d/qzi04d

Liberty ‎– K28P 300

A1	The Robot’s Dance	3:55
A2	623	2:34
A3	Nasty Little Green Men	3:16
A4	Test Tube Babies	2:45
A5	Guilty	3:10
A6	Night People	3:52
A7	Tokyo	2:38
A8	Old World For Sale	2:36
B1	Inside Outside	3:17
B2	Every Home Should Have One	3:16
B3	Never Again	3:51
B4	627	2:30
B5	Is It A Dream?	3:57
B6	Where To Go	3:13
B7	Because You’re Young	3:22
B8	It’s Not Too Late	3:34

The Moody Blues ‎– Your Wildest Dreams (12″)

The Moody Blues had a bit of a revival in the 80’s with the Tony Visconti produced album ,”The Other Side Of Life” from 1986. This 12″ contains the first two tracks. Although the LP didn’t set the world alight it still proved they still had it. The line-up was; Justin Hayward – acoustic guitar, guitar synthesiser, vocals, John Lodge – bass guitar, Patrick Moraz – keyboards and Graeme Edge – drums, percussion

Plenty of synth on this as well as Hayward’s distinct voice. A sad song with a happy arrangement.  It was a top-10 hit in the United States, peaking at #9, which had not happened to a Moody Blues song since “Nights in White Satin” in 1972.

Sounding very E.L.O on the flipside, “Talkin’ Talkin;” has synth bass and some samplers and the harmonies

https://gofile.io/d/bfil0j

https://www.sendspace.com/file/g2pzuv

Polydor ‎– POSPX 787

A	Your Wildest Dreams (Extended Version)
B	Talkin’ Talkin’

Various – in store sampler (feat. accept, slade, orion the hunter, face to face) (US vinyl LP)

From 1984 and 4 Rock artists on the Epic label. Have 2 or 3 tracks featured on this album. Air Guitar at the ready! Machismo check.

An international selection starting with Accept, a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by vocalist Udo Dirkschneider (with his AC/DC style vocals) Accompanying him are ; Bass – Peter Baltes, Drums – Stefan Kaufman and Guitars – Hermann Frank and Wolf Hoffmann

“Balls To The Wall” is the title track of the ’83 album. Anti-War and with lots of Germanic chanting. “Losing More Than You Ever Had” chugs along and a singalong chorus (If you can have that in Metal!) Love those Simmons Drum Pads 🤣

Orion The Hunter was a hard rock/AOR band from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, that was formed in 1984 under the name of Orion. The band was formed by Barry Goudreau after leaving Boston. One self-titled album then they split. A big line-up of Guitar, Vocals, Producer – Goudreau, Lead Vocals – Fran Cosmo, Bass, Vocals – Bruce Smith, Drums – Michael De Rosier (Heart), Mellotron, Synthesizer [Oberheim Organ] – John Schuller, Piano – Steve Baker and Synthesizer [Memory Moog & Prophet] – Peter Wood.

They give us a more AOR sound with plenty of harmonies. “So You Ran” features Epic Record Exec Lennie Petze on guitar (Jeeez!) “Stand Up” is more atmospheric and with some “Flash” like effects. More pounding Simmons! “Joanne” goes into Boston territory, a piano Power Ballad with cheesy lyrics.

Face To Face (another Boston band) seem a bit of an odd one out. More New Wave than the others. Again the 3 tracks are from their debut, self titled album. The line-up was ; Angelo Petraglia (guitars and keyboards), Billy Beard (drums), John Ryder (bass), Laurie Sargent (vocals) and Stuart Kimball (guitar and keyboards)

“10-9-8”, a breakthrough hit , features Cyndi Lauper on backing vocals. “Out Of My Hands” has more guitar and some great vocals from Sargent. Track of the compilation is the Arthur Baker infused “Under The Gun” with a rap and Tina B (Baker’s wife) on backing vocals.

So this brings us to British Institution of Slade. Here in the Twilight of their career and from the ’83 album, “The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome” Featuring the classic line-up of; Bass, Keyboards, Guitar, Backing Vocals – Jim Lea, Drums, Percussion, Gong – Don Powell, Guitar, Backing Vocals – Dave Hill and Lead Vocals, Guitar, Backing Vocals – Noddy Holder.

“My Oh My” is a classic Power Ballad that does not get played that much. God, it even has a false ending! The Bagpipe guitars and “Hounds Of Love” drums finish off the compilation with “Run Runaway” – you’ll all be singing it in the morning!

https://www.sendspace.com/file/ntorsj

https://gofile.io/d/BlcJ7P

Epic ‎– AS 1874

A1	Accept	Balls To The Wall	5:42
A2	Accept	Losing More Than You’ve Ever Had	5:09
A3	Orion The Hunter	So You Ran	5:06
A4	Orion The Hunter	Stand Up	5:16
A5	Orion The Hunter	Joanne	4:26
B1	Face To Face	10-9-8	3:52
B2	Face To Face	Out Of My Hands	4:48
B3	Face To Face	Under The Gun	4:35
B4	Slade	My Oh My	4:11
B5	Slade	Run Runaway	4:59

Kiss ‎– I Was Made For Lovin’ You (12″)

Kicking off the week with this classic from 1979. The 8 minute version of “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” Disco Rock with some memorable riffs and nod to Blondie. Produced by Vini Poncia (who co-wrote it) it’s pure Disco in places – Bee Gee vocals anyone ? I wonder what their fans thought? From their album “Dynasty”

The B-side is a track called “Charisma”, light chugging rock and also from the album. Moody vocals and proves Kiss were not just about the make-up.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/6cbqb5

https://gofile.io/d/WhlHJR

Casablanca ‎– CANL 152

A	I Was Made For Lovin’ You	7:54
B	Charisma	4:26

Peter Hope / David Harrow ‎– Sufferhead E.P. (German 12″)

From ’85 and some Leftfield, Electro funk from Peter Hope and another collaboration, this time with David Harrow – long time Anne Clark collaborator. Very Adrian Sherwood (Harrow had worked closely with Jah Wobble and The Cabs, (Hope had worked with Richard Kirk -re-upped link below)

https://myvinyldreams.wordpress.com/2011/09/17/peter-hope-richard-h-kirk-leather-hands-12/

All short, esoteric tracks. Guest musicians include Steve Bevan (acoustic guitar) and Simon Grayling (trumpet)

“Too Hot” is fine example of the slightly industrial but funky sounds coming out of the UK Underground in the mid 80’s.

Thatcher gets sampled on the disjointed groove of “Buckle Down”, dominated by a fierce bass riff.

“Snakes Washd In” is a weird , Carnival rant over a sampled choir. “Bright Boys” is a Native American War Cry with beaten metal and strummed guitar.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/brh0yl

https://gofile.io/d/lgUzLU

Ink Deutschland ‎– RTD-INK 1

A	Too Hot	4:25
AA1	Buckle Down	4:24
AA2	(Excerpt From) Bright Boys	3:02
AA3	Snakes Washed In	2:10

Michael Des Barres & Holly Knight ‎– Obsession (US Promo 12″)

Didn’t know Animotion’s version was a cover!

British musician and actor Des Barres teamed up with Holly Knight on the 1983 original, a stripped back, slower but with more guitary version, produced by Mike Chapman and was from the original motion picture soundtrack “A Night In Heaven”

A strong, sexual duet between Holly Knight and Des Barres (half speaking the lyrics). Knight was also a successful writer, whose hits include “Better Be Good to Me,” for Tina Turner, “Love Is a Battlefield” for Pat Benatar and “Love Touch,” for Rod Stewart.

If you have a listen to the Animotion version, did they just overdub the original ?

https://gofile.io/d/UiBhMR

https://www.sendspace.com/file/rw43il

A&M Records ‎– SP-17262

A	Obsession (Extended Version)	5:40
B	Obsession (Single Version)	3:50

Sunday Silly song – 112- Morris Minor And The Majors ‎– Stutter Rap (No Sleep Til Bedtime) (Euro 12″)

Oh dear, the not too politically correct Stutter Rap from Morris Minor And The Majors (TV Comedian and presenter Tony Hawks, Paul Boross (One half of The Calypso Twins with Ainsley Harriott , Philip Judge (Film and TV actor) and session guitarist, comedian and producer Jakko M. Jackszyk (Grand Master Jelly Tot)

Released in January 1988, Paul Dakeyne provided the Dance Mix with a spoken word intro (and outro) and clearer lyrics and some humorous samples.

Out doing the Beastie Boys with a similar arrangement but distinctly “English” lyrics.

The B-side is a synthetic backed parody of bad songwriting for crap B-sides. And it is crap – deliberately.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/1rhmcx

https://gofile.io/d/UpHyJd

10 Records ‎– 609 751

A	Stutter Rap (No Sleep Til Bedtime) (12″ Dance Mix)	6:16
B1	Stutter Rap (No Sleep Til Bedtime)	7:00
B2	Another Boring ‘B’ Side	4:03

Goldpeople Feat. Glenn Gregory ‎– Music Don’t Stop! (German Cd Single)

Last of the collaborations for this week and Heaven 17’s Glenn Gregory guest vocals on this bass heavy bit of Dance music from 2002.

Goldpeople were one of a number of alias’s of German production team of Arno Kammermeier (Booka Shade), Peter Hayo and Walter Merziger (also Booka Shade)

Gregory provides a rich tone lush feel to a standard, mid -tempo House track. Some vocal fiddling but a solid track with a synth pop feel. A variety of mixes, all slightly different. The extended mix being the definite version.

Berlin pop duo, 2raumwohnung (featuring Inga Humpe) , beef up the bass even more and it has a deeper groove.

Boca (Stephan Bodzin) rattles up the b.p.m and is the hardest of the mixes. All drums.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/osibre

https://gofile.io/d/71ogXO

Jive ‎– 9253742

1	Music Don’t Stop! (Radio Mix)	3:25
2	Music Don’t Stop! (2raumwohnung Radio Mix)	3:48
3	Music Don’t Stop! (Dance Radio Mix)	3:49
4	Music Don’t Stop! (Extended Mix)	5:32
5	Music Don’t Stop! (2raumwohnung Remix)	6:57
6	Music Don’t Stop! (Boca Remix)	7:34
7	Music Don’t Stop! (2raumwohnung Dub Remix)	7:29

Theme for next week – albums and guitars

Or both !!!

A bit more Rock based next week and before the lynch mob get me, a big Re-up of the ON -Usound mix vinyls on Thursday.

Radio show – Sunday 3-5 p.m (g.m.t)

Back up doing my Show for the Barrow Underground Music Society. Solid love stream.

Expect most genres with a nod to synths.

JEDREDY – MISCOMMUNICATION