SOME THINGS I LIKED ABOUT 2009

If you recall a posting from the other week, you'll have seen what I suggested were the best LPs and the best songs of the past 12 months. I don't intend to offer a repeat.

Going slightly further back in time, to 1st October to be precise, I nominated Grace Maxwell as my person of the year, partly for the publication of her book Falling & Laughing, but mainly because of her support for music bloggers and her attack on inconsiderate and greedy record labels who have somehow contrived to steal songs they no longer have ownership of and prevent Edwyn Collins making them available free of charge.

A close runner-up, and in a similar vein, was Paul Haig. His support for the blogging community when many of us were under attack with all sorts of dmca notices was invaluable, and certainly some of us were able to show our appreciation when we combined to declare 6th April 2009 as Paul Haig Day on our blogs. I'm certainly up for repeating the exercise in 2010 if the rest of you are.....

What was really pleasing about Paul Haig however, was the fact that his latest LP, Relive, which only hit the shops towards the end of the year, turned out to be an absolute belter and among the best work he's ever released, including the really early stuff with Josef K some 30 years ago.

There weren't all that many new records that really caught my ear this year. I think much of my mood is best captured in the words of the great Coxon Le Woof who is the brains behind the ever excellent To Die By Your Side :-

The problem I'm finding, is not that there have been too many great records released in 2009. Rather, that there have not been enough great records. Sure there are plenty of records I've enjoyed. 29 of them in fact. I counted. There just aren't that many that stand out as immediate choices. As I said not long ago, last year there were two distinct records that blew me away, standing head and shoulders above everything else. This year there isn't one. Not for me anyway. For the first time in as long as I can remember, there is not one record that I could single out as being the record of the year. I could easily name the records that I've listened to the most, but I'm not entirely sure that, were I to come up with such a thing, any of them would make it into my list of 50 favourite records ever. And that may well be the first year in a long time I could comfortably say that.

If anything, the thing I'll remember most about 2009, the red thread that connects most of the records I've heard this year, is the musical equivalent of treading water. The number of bands that have produced records that sound like they're simply reworking their previous output has been astounding. I'm not saying they're making bad records, it's more that they're caught in a musical vacuum. Lacking any sonic shocks or progression in sound, they're simply sticking to that which is safe, easy or obvious. They're not stretching themselves, meaning they run the risk of becoming generic versions of themselves. Threatening their own survival by turning into something resembling their own tribute act.

So 2010 is almost upon us, and I reckon that TVV will end up being far more retro than ever, although having said that I'll probably use much of January to look at a bundle of albums that I only finally got as Xmas presents that I've got round to enjoying.

Oh and the new Sunday series to replace 'The Class of '79' will kick-off on 10th January. It's going to be called 'The Sunday Correspondents' and will feature a small team of guest writers offering up their views and thoughts on all sorts of different forms of music.

Then, as I mentioned, I'm hoping enough of you will fancy repeating April 6th as Paul Haig Day, and again if there's enough interest, I'd be happy to again pass the blog over to readers in the month of May when I head off on holiday.

TVV is now well into its fourth year, and it couldn't be done without the continued support of everyone who pops in for a read, a download and the occasional comment or observation. I set out this time last year to ensure there would be at least one posting per day in 2009, and while I've now managed that, it has sometimes been a bit of a struggle at times coming up with the words. The music is never an issue....but finding exactly what I want to say is often difficult. So forgive if next year there are a few more lazy postings when the inspiration ain't there....

Finally.....the best thing musically about 2009 was the fact that I finally got to see Magazine play live in concert. Three times. Three different cities. All completely unforgettable. I know that some folk will say that Blur was the comeback of the year, while others might suggest it was The Specials. I know also that the reformation of Gang Of Four was a highlight for many 40-somethings, but I never felt any happier than on Saturday 14th February when John Doyle hit his drums to give us the opening notes of The Light Pours Out Of Me.

Bring on 2010. I'm ready for it.

mp3 : Cousteau - Last Good Day Of The Year
mp3 : Paul Haig - Trip Out The Rider
mp3 : Orange Juice - Lean Period (12 inch version)
mp3 : Magazine - The Light Pours Out Of Me (live 2009 version)

Happy New Year everyone.

FROM UNDER THE COVERS (Parts 64, 65 & 66)

When I saw that Glasgow's very own The Twilight Sad had recorded a cover version of a great David Gedge song for the b-side of one of their singles earlier this year, I knew I just had to have it.

It wasn't what I expected. But that made it all the better.

That's three cover versions I know have by this lot - they've all been of songs that I've adored for a long, long, long time. And all of them get the TVV seal of approval:-

mp3 : The Twilight Sad - Suck
mp3 : The Twilight Sad - Half A Person
mp3 : The Twilight Sad - Twenty Four Hours

Can't really say fairer than that.

REVISITING THE INDIE SCENE OF 1986

It seems a few of you were quite taken by the inclusion of the debut single by The Weather Prophets in the wee series that I ran while I was off sunning myself in St Lucia, so I thought I'd share both sides of a 7" single that I picked up a wee while back that I was saving for a special occasion:-

mp3 : The Weather Prophets - Why Does The Rain
mp3 : The Weather Prophets - Midnight Mile

This was the band's fourth single, released in 1987 on Elevation Records, which was a subsidiary of the giant WEA label. And yes, those of you with an eye for history will recognise that it is in fact a cover of a 1984 song:-

mp3 : The Loft - Why Does The Rain

But then again, given that half of The Loft (including singer and songwriter Peter Astor) went on to become The Weather Prophets, it's not really fair to call it a cover. It's more akin to a re-recording. Talking of which.....

mp3 : The Weather Prophets - Almost Prayed

There's two versions of this song kicking around out there. The one I shoved up a few weeks was the single version, while a longer and slightly different version was made available on the 1987 LP Mayflower, and that's what is supplied today.

Happy Listening

WHEN THINGS WERE AT A REALLY LOW EBB...

I've written before about how tough things were for James back in the late 80s and how it was the generosity of a bank manager who was a fan that got them out of a particular hole and allowed them to continue writing and performing. Read here for more details.

The story of the single Ya Ho really illustrates just how bad things were.

It was originally scheduled for release in September 1987, but wasn't issued until 12 months later. However, the catalogue number didn't change, which is why it is NEG 26 when the previous single What For had the number NEG31. Having been shelved, Ya Ho was only resurrected to coincide with the very belated release of the LP Strip-Mine.

The version released as a single is different to that released on the album, being the original mix produced by Hugh Jones before Steve Power was drafted in by the label to remix songs in an effort to make it sound more commercial.

I'd been on the look-out for this single for a while and some sites had it on offer for the £15-£30 mark which I was thinking of paying but shied away from. Then about six weeks ago I found a copy in a Glasgow shop for just £3. A bargain and a half:-

mp3 : James - Ya Ho
mp3 : James - Mosquito

The band also released a 12" version of the single which had two additional tracks on the b-side (and was therefore known as Ya Ho & 3). Now if any reader has these b-sides - Left Out Of Her Will and New Nature - I'd love to be passed on copies.......

Oh and to show just how annoying the record label were becoming , have a listen to the soul-less, artificial and more commercial version:-

mp3 : James - Ya Ho (album version)

Happy Listening.

A HAPPY SONG TO LIFT THE GLOOM

For those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, this is a particularly lousy time of the year. The excitement of Christmas Day has come and gone and all we have to look forward to is going back to the shops to stand in enormous queues looking for a refund or exchange for faulty goods or stuff that doesn't fit. And we've got to do it in weather that is inevitably cold and miserable and in which the daylight hours are at a minimum.

When I am re-born, I want to come back as a creature that hibernates for six months of the year.....

But enough of this misery. Let's try and combat it with a tunes that is cheerful to the extreme, namely this masterful 1986 single on Rough Trade Records:-

mp3 : Camper Van Beethoven - Take The Skinheads Bowling

Camper Van Beethoven are from California and rather than go on about them, I'll take the lazy option and refer you to this wikipedia page.

Thanks again to my mate Jacques the Kipper for shoving this on a compilation tape for me all those years ago, otherwise I would likely have been ignorant of its many charms. It's a song I've had on CD for a while now, but not that long ago I picked up a second-hand vinyl copy and so can offer tracks from the b-side as well:-

mp3 : Camper Van Beethoven - Cowboys From Hollywood
mp3 : Camper Van Beethoven - Epigram
mp3 : Camper Van Beethoven - Colonel Enrique Adolfo Bermudez

The last of the tracks is about a real-life person. As you can see here.....

Happy Listening.

A BOXING DAY SPECIAL

mp3 : Paul Quinn & The Independent Group - Darling I Can't Fight

One of my wishes for 2010 is that someone pulls together a box set retrospective of the work of the mighty Paul Quinn. If they do, I hope they put a call into Rob who is responsible for the fantastic Punk Rock Hotel website (www.duckworthsquare.com/paulquinn/index.htm), which tells you all there is to know about the greatest singer ever to have come out of Glasgow.

The reason for mentioning this is down to the fact that an excellent compilation CD was released in 2009 entitled Park Lane Archives which dusted down some amazing old stuff from the vaults of a Glasgow recording studio that was in much use in the 80s and 90s. One of the tracks was a Bourgie Bourgie demo, and the extensive 16-page colour booklet did suggest a link to the Paul Quinn site run by Rob.....but the first he knew about it was when I e-mailed him after I got my hands on the CD. The least the record label could have done was supply him with a copy......

That's my rant over. I was hoping to be ay the footballl todau, but the snow and ice have put paid to that. Still, I've the bonus of not being back at work until 5th January. Hopefully I can now catch up with the reading of all the great blogs listed on the right-hand side of this page.

Happy Listening.

HO, HO, HO

Here's the obligatory Christmas posting, featuring, without any question, the best festive-themed song ever. If only for including the line..'Christmas in Glasgow.'

Natives of Cork, Ireland, they were once known as The Sultans of Ping FC, then just The Sultans of Ping, before eventually becoming The Sultans.

Their career initially lasted from 1988 to 1997, but they reformed again in 2005, and continue to be hugely popular in their native land and in Japan.

This particular offering was on the b-side of a 1993 single - during their period as The Sultans of Ping - that just missed breaking into the UK Top 40.

mp3 : The Sultans of Ping - Xmas Bubblegum Machine

But it would be cheating if I left it at that, cos that it is just a straight lift from Xmas Day 2008. So here's a little bit of vinyl I picked up a few weeks ago:-

mp3 : Sylvian/Sakamoto - Forbidden Colours

(aka The Theme Tune from 'Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence').

It's Boxing Day tomorrow. Last year it fell on a Friday and so allowed me to put up a suitable Morrissey single as part of the long-running series. Tune in tomorrow for a different related tune....but I promise it wont be the theme tune from 'Rocky'.

Go easy on the turkey my friends.

IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE BABE, IN THE......

mp3 : Tindersticks - Drunk Tank

Don't know about the rest of you, but I'm well fed-up with hearing the same old festive-related songs in every single shop I go into as I search for the perfect last-minute gift for Mrs Villain. Consider this my equivalent of the dirty protest.

But tune in tomorrow for what has become the traditional 25th December posting on TVV (and no looking back to previous years to spoil it....)

Hope Santa is good to you all.

THE 11 SINGLES BY HIS OTHER LESSER-KNOWN BAND (Part 1)

Between 1998 and 2004, David Gedge took a break from The Wedding Present and instead released music under the name of Cinerama.

In essence, it was a duo of the great man (on his releases he was known by his full name of David Lewis Gedge) and his then-girlfriend Sally Murrell, augmented by guest musicians. The initial songs were a long way removed from the guitar-driven indie-pop of TWP, and instead were often heavy on strings, keyboards and lush instrumentation. Lyrically however, they didn't stray too far away from the subject matters that Gedge is such a master of -the joys of love, lust and romance, the misery of infidelities and heartbreak and the utter pleasure of revenge. Oh and there was also the occasional belter of a cover version.

In what will be an occasional series over the coming months, I'm going to feature all of the band's singles - mainly on days when I cant think of anything else to write about (which sadly, is becoming just a wee bit too frequent for my liking these days). I was going to kick off with the debut single, from 1998 but then realised I could link their fourth single with the title of yesterday's posting

mp3 : Cinerama - Wow
mp3 : Cinerama - 10 Denier
mp3 : Cinerama - Gigolo

As you'll hear, its one of the songs about infidelity. What I love about this lyric is how the protagonist spends the first two and half minutes detailing all the nagging doubts about cheating on his girlfriend, even as he climbs the stairs to a bedroom. And then he utters "But don't close the door because I'm still not sure.", after which there is a gap as he makes his mind up. A gap that is about two seconds in length. Just long enough to let the listener know he's feeling guilty but just short enough to let the listener know that lust has again triumphed over love. It's a brutal bit of writing.....

The single was released on CD only back on 2000, but there was also an extended version made available on the LP Disco Volante on which the band were now a five-piece, backed with additional musicians on flute, cello, violin, trumpet, french horn and accordion. But thanks to the production involving Steve Albini, its not a million miles removed from the brilliance of Seamonsters, the classic 1991 LP by TWP. I reckon its one of the best songs David Gedge has ever penned. And the b-sides are rather good as well......

mp3 : Cinerama - Wow (extended version)

Happy Listening

WOW

Back in the early days, during the promotion of the first couple of albums, whenever PJ Harvey took to the stage for a gig or made a rare live TV appearance her appearance wasn't that far removed from a 20-something indie-student going to the local union. Hair swept back and held in place by an Alice band and everyday clothes such as baggy black jumpers, leggings or jeans, all rounded off with a pair of trainers or Doc Martens.

She was determined to let the music do the talking and image was secondary.

But that all changed changed dramatically during the recording of the LP To Bring You My Love which was released in February 1995. I don't think I was alone in being gobsmacked when I first caught sight of the promo for the lead-off single.

Long flowing black hair. Bright red lipstick around a mouth that pouted at the camera. A ruby red designer dress that showed a vamp with a gorgeous figure. High heels. Slinky dancing. PJ submerged underwater. My sex was on fire.



I saw this video on an episode of Top Of The Pops 2 on BBC Television one evening. I'll admit that I was so blown away by the new-look Polly Jean that I didn't take in too much of the tune at the time. Which was a waste cos it is a great bit of music:-

mp3 : PJ Harvey - Down By The Water

It really should have been a massive hit and deserved much more than the paltry #38 it achieved in the UK. Over in the States, it was a different story - the single was massive on the US Modern Rock chart partly because the video, unsurprisingly, was on heavy rotation on MTV. It was clear that PJ Harvey had decided to play along with the game, and the image was every bit now as important as the songs.

Here's your b-sides:-

mp3 : PJ Harvey - Lying In The Sun
mp3 : PJ Harvey - Somebody's Down, Somebody's Name

Oh and interesting to note that the sleeve of this single would probably get banned nowadays thanks to the cigarette in Polly Jean's right hand. Strange how much somethings have changed in less than 15 years.

Live version for you to enjoy as well:-



Happy Listening....and viewing.

GIG REVIEW : MARTIN STEPHENSON & THE DAINTEES : WOODEND CLUB, GLASGOW : THURSDAY 17 DECEMBER 2009

No matter how cold, damp and miserable it is outside - and believe me it was bloody freezing in Glasgow last Thursday night - you can always rely on Martin Stephenson & The Daintees to raise the temperature, get your pulse racing and banish any winter blues you might be feeling. Especially in the confines of the wonderful and homely venue that is the Woodend Bowling & Tennis Club in the west end of the city, home to so many great gigs promoted by Alan Hendry under the banner of Sounds in the Suburbs.

OK....regular readers might think they have read it all before - past reviews have banged on about me getting a ticket to a venue that holds 50-60 people at a push and going along with Mrs Villain where we arrive early, get a great seat, buy a bottle of wine at a ridiculously cheap price, watch a great show and then spend ages talking to the singer and his band afterwards.

But this was different. For once I had no Mrs Villain with me - she was delayed in getting home from London thanks to the snow and ice - and Comrade Colin stepped in at the 11th hour for what was both his first gig at the Woodend and his first time catching Martin and the boys on stage. And believe me, having raved on and on and on at him about the magnificence of past gigs, I was a wee bit tentative about whether or not this latest night would live up to the hype I had given past gigs.

I should of course have know better. Martin Stephenson never lets any of his audiences down. But please don't think that this is down to any element of predictability about the night - far from it. The set did lean heavily on the debut LP Boat To Bolivia which is always a bonus, but that was because these were the songs that the audience were calling out for throughout the night and Martin wanted as best he can to play a set based almost entirely on requests.

It was a show that lasted just under two hours, but seemed to fly past in about 45 minutes. If there was anything disappointing about the night then it was only down to the fact that the promoter's young daughter Sally Hendry, who has been known in the past to join the band on percussion and backing vocals on one or two songs, wasn't around. But we did get some cameos from other members of the audience - with Charlie (an old Glasgow mate of Martin's) joining in one manic cover song on backing vocals in the style of Donald Duck - and another bloke (whose name I didn't catch) joined in on another blues cover with the most amazing harmonica playing it has ever been my privilege to hear in a live setting.

The main highlight of the night however, were the 8-minute rendition of Boat To Bolivia in which Martin made full use of a number of pedals to get different sounds from his acoustic guitar and the sound-desk gave him different echos and delays on his mike to allow a ragga-style vocal delivery and the blistering version of Left Us To Burn which reminded us that not only Paul Weller wrote great anti-Thatcher songs but also allowed Anthony Dunn to show what a great bass player he is.

Aside from the music, we were treated to a number of great tales and anecdotes, including one about Nile Marr (son of the great Johnny) at the warm-up prior to a gig when he was the support act to the Daintees (during this tale guitarist Gary Dunn strummed the chords to This Charming Man to the delight of the audience).

But don't take my word for it. Comrade Colin absolutely loved it, despite knowing next to none of the songs saying afterwards that he loved being in the presence of such a natural-born entertainer. I reckon he'll come along the next time Martin is in town....

Due to what some would call a diary clash (i.e. I was at my work's night out), I didn't get along to see the band play the following night at the larger Accies Club in Glasgow. I'm reliably informed however that if anything the Friday gig was even better, thanks in part to the band not taking to the stage immediately after a long and arduous drive to Glasgow in difficult conditions. Also, with the second venue not being in the immediate vicinity of houses, the band could play on a bit later than 11pm and it turned into a three-hour marathon, again based on requests - with a little bit of stand-up thrown in free of charge by the Glasgow comic Bruce Morton.

I'm sure Alan Hendry is already planning the return of Martin Stephenson in 2010, and I can assure him that I will again be at the front of the queue looking for a ticket. I know that there are a few other interesting and unusual gigs coming along soon under the Sounds in the Suburbs banner (with more in the pipeline) - click here and see for yourself - and you could do a lot worse than getting along and having a great time.

mp3 : Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Boat To Bolivia
mp3 : Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Left Us To Burn

Happy Listening.

2009....IN LISTS

Being a blog that is largely of the retro variety, I'm not all that fussed about publishing a rundown of what I reckon to have been the best songs/albums of the year/decade. Yes, I do admit to making a few suggestions last month of stuff that you might fancy putting on your own Xmas lists or perhaps ideas for gifts for others, but I didn't see it as a derivative list.

Part of the problem is that in the closing months of any given year I cutback on my purchases of new music so that Mrs Villain and a few others can have some options for gifts to leave under the tree for opening on 25th December, and so I'm never really able to be in a position to offer a true list of the best of any given year until about three months into the next.

However, for some reason or other, my views and opinions have been asked for by one or two other bloggers out there, and have contributed to polls that have been carried out, and if you will indulge me, I'm going to share them with you.

First up is the work carried out by Lloyd from the Peenko blog (one that will be among a whole bundle added to the list on the right-hand side when I do so maintenance work over the Festive period). Lloyd wrote to all the Scottish bloggers he could think of, and to tart from Loveshack, Baby who became an honorary Scot for the purposes, and asked us to list our Top 10 albums of the year. My own list was:-

1. Butcher Boy - React Or Die
2. Paul Haig - Relive
3. Cats On Fire - Our Temperance Movement
4. Malcolm Middleton - Waxing Gibbous
5. The Twilight Sad - Forget The Night Ahead
6. Lord Cut-Glass - Lord Cut Glass
7. Florence & The Machine - Lungs
8. The Horrors - Primary Colours
9. Luke Haines - 21st Century Man
10. Frightened Rabbit - Quietly Now

The outcome ended up being given the title of 'The Scottish Bloggers and Music Site Awards 2009'. Or the Scottish BAMS 2009 (bam being a word used in this part of the world to describer an idiot). And the Scottish BAMS 2009 turned out like this:-

1. The Phantom Band - Checkmate Savage
2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
3. De Rosa - Prevention
4. King Creosote - Flick the V's
5. Withered Hand - Good News
6. The Twilight Sad - Forget The Night Ahead
7. We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls
8. Beerjacket - Animosity
9. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
9. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
11. My Latest Novel - Deaths and Entrances
11. Malcolm Middleton - Waxing Gibbous
13. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - s/t
14. You Already Know - s/t
14. Broken Records - Until the Earth Begins to Part
16. The XX - s/t
17. The Antlers - Hospice
18. Sufjan Stevens - The BQE
18. And So I Watch You From Afar
20. Wilco - The Album

So, it appears I'm out of kilter with most of my fellow bloggers round these parts, with only two of my nominations making the final list. Hey ho.....

I was also asked by Tim over at Contrast Podcast to list my favourite 50 tracks of the year, and while I wont bother giving you the full list, my Top 20 was:-

1. Horoscope - Cats On Fire
2. A Better Ghost - Butcher Boy
3. When I'm Asleep - Butcher Boy
4. Red Travellin Socks - Malcolm Middleton
5. Oh Men! - Aidan Moffat & the Best Ofs
6. Round and Round - Paul Haig
7. Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues - Meursault
8. Tears In Your Cup - Cats On Fire
9. The Man Who Took On Love (and Won) - The Low Miffs and Malcolm Ross
10. This Kiss Will Marry Us - Butcher Boy
11. The Furnace - Meursault
12. Big Blonde - Adian Moffat & the Best Ofs
13. Relive - Paul Haig
14. Lullaby - Editors
15. Carve A Pattern - Butcher Boy
16. Letters From A Voyage To Sweden - Cats On Fire
17. The Howling - The Phantom Band
18. Holy Fuck! - Lord Cut Glass
19. Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
20. I Became A Prostitute - The Twilight Sad

OK, my mistake was to include the Meursault tracks from the debut LP as it was released in late 2008, but given that I didnt get to hear it until 2009, I thought I'd offer them up in the list, so that was a waste of a few votes.

So far, Tim has only released the chart positions between #34 and #50, with the next two week set to let us know which are top of the pops. Not many of that list are on it so far....in fact only Big Blonde has made it and that was at #45. And if you go in and listen, you'll hear me introducing the song within the podcast......

All these results make me feel as if I'm casting my votes for complete no-hopers...the sort of songs and albums that mean something to me but seemingly very few other people. I hope they don't make me look like some sort of muso-snob who plumps for the wilfully obscure....

mp3 : Dweeb - Chart Raider Space Invader
mp3 : The Rezillos - Top Of The Pops
mp3 : Sparks - The Number One Song In Heaven

Happy Listening

Late PS.......

One of the best gigs I went to in 2009 was one performed by Butcher Boy at the Glasgow Film Theatre on 14th June. It consisted of some specially composed music to accompany three silent black and white movies that were shot by Enricco Cocozza in the 1950s, followed by the band playing a short set of tracks from their two albums. It really was quite magical in so many ways.

Some of the music from the silent movies will now form the demos for the band going into the studio next summer to start work on album #3. One track, entitled Every Other Saturday, has been made available via YouTube along with some 1961 footage shot by the father of band guitarist Robert. I thought you might be interested in seeing it here.



Thanks to Basil Pieroni for the heads-up.......

CHRISTMAS #1 IN 2010?????

Just heard that the Cowell hit-making machine has been stopped, temporarily, in its tracks with the news that Rage Against The Machine is the Xmas #1.

If we're going to manage to do the same next year, we need to get behind one track. There will be some out there who ask that it be The Pogues, others will want Slade.....we might even get the Sex Pistols in an effort to give them the #1 they were denied in Jubilee Year in 1977.

I'd like to suggest what I reckon is THE best Christmas single ever......

Here's what the NME of 28 November 1987 had to say:-

From sample Wonderland to Get Down town, the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu power on. Here, the Kings of the Greengate Sampler have hired the talents of the London Community Gospel Choir, received permission to use Petula Clark's classic, and fireballed the two, along with their own rap, into one massive hell-hating holler of a song.

Whereas 'Whitney Joins The Jams' was a tale of simple sample fantasy, 'Down Town's' lyrics question the inadequacies and inconsistencies of society in the same demanding way 'All You Need Is Love' first fingered the confusion and hysteria surrounding AIDS.

Deep down in the mix amidst the sleigh bells, the church organ and the police sirens King Boy can be heard bouncing questions like rubber bricks off the walls of "Glory, what Glory? In a wine-bar world? In a tenement block? OK let's hear it" crows the Clydeside MC.

The Jams may not be the hippest, sanest or sweetest band to stalk the earth this year, but they're certainly the most imaginative.....firing a trail so shocking they couldn't have kept you more on your toes if they stuffed a hand grenade up your ass and sent you to tap dance in a pair of stilettos!

mp3 : The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu - Downtown (12 inch version)

I reckon that this should be the song we rally around next year to prevent the X Factor empire stealing the #1 spot.

JC IS UNWELL

mp3 : The June Brides - Sick, Tired & Drunk

TOUCHED BY THE HAND OF GOD

Well.....that could have been a headline you would have expected to read when this single was released in mid 1996.

It was a time when the mania and hype around Oasis was at its most ferocious with Wonderwall and Don't Look Back In Anger having dominated the singles charts like no others in many a long time. Beck had recorded a critically-acclaimed LP entitled Odelay, but the first single lifted from it, Where It's At, hadn't done all that well, peaking at #61 in the USA and #35 in the UK.

But Noel Gallagher was a big fan of Beck and he offered to play on and produce a remix of the follow-up single, Devils Haircut. Fair play to the record label, they resisted the temptation to make the most of things by keeping the original version as the single with Noels' remix, along with another remix by Mike Simpson of The Dust Brothers made available as extra tracks along with a previously unreleased Beck song.

The Oasis connection worked to some extent in the UK, with the single reaching #22 (which is the third highest single position Beck has achieved over here). But it made no difference at all in the USA with Devils Haircut bellyflopping its way to #94.

mp3 : Beck - Devils Haircut
mp3 : Beck - Devils Haircut (Remix by Noel Gallagher)
mp3 : Beck - Devils Haircut (Groovy Sunday Remix by Mike Simpson)
mp3 : Beck - Trouble All My Days

My own verdict? An excellent pop single on its own. But both remixes do manage to bring something extra along to the song - the extra guitar playing (by Noel Gallagher himself) makes it ideal for your indie discos, while Mike Simpson's work gives it a touch of soul.....

Happy Listening.

IT'S FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE....WITH GREAT SCOTTISH SINGLES (7)

I don't say thank you enough to those folk out there who quietly encourage me to keep the blog going on the days and indeed weeks when I cant be arsed and it all feels a bit of a chore. It doesn't happen all that often, but some days when work gets a bit too much, I just want to come home and flop on the couch and not head for the PC to check on e-mails and keep an eye on whether on not the bad men with the dmca notices are hunting for me.

But as I say, its small words of encouragement in e-mails and in the comments section that often make a difference, and on top of that I've a small number of friends (and my brother that lives in Florida) who are also regular readers and sometimes they will give me a quick call and say that a posting had been good and that the song had triggered off a few decent memories.

Today's long-lost and forgotten Scottish single is for one of my friends as he was a big fan of this Edinburgh* band back in the days when none of us knew anything about them.

The Valves formed in 1977 and in September of that year, they had the distinction of releasing the first ever record put out on the Zoom label which was run by local record store mogul Bruce Findlay, who would later find some fame and fortune as the man who discovered Simple Minds.

In December 1977 a second single was released on Zoom, but it took until July 1979 before their third 45 hits the shops. And it's that very single that I managed to track down a wee while back on ebay:-

mp3 : The Valves - It Don't Mean Nothing At All
mp3 : The Valves - Linda Vindaloo

OK, so its not what could really be called a great Scottish single. Very much of its time - and that time was 1977 some two years before it came out. But its the least I could for my good mate John Greer who has had a few ups and downs in 2009. Here's hoping 2010 is a lot luckier.....

And now, here is THE great Valves song - the b-side of their second single:-

mp3 : The Valves - Ain't No Surf In Portobello

Happy Listening.

* The Valves were actually from Portobello, which some folk argue is not actually part of Edinburgh at all. It is the coastal part of the city....it does have a beach....but it certainly doesn't have any surf.

ONE OF HIS BIGGEST HITS THIS WAS....

He'll the first to admit that he's never really been one for trying to set the singles chart alight, but Billy Bragg must look back over his career and wonder why so many great 45s flopped in the most spectacular of manners.

He went Top 20 very early on his career with the Between The Wars EP, and other than a charity double-sided single with Wet Wet Wet that went to #1 in 1988, only two more of his singles ever made the Top 40 during the 20th Century.

One of those was Sexuality, and the other was a different version of another song originally made available on Don't Try This At Home:-

mp3 : Billy Bragg - Accident Waiting To Happen (Redstar Version)

This reached #33 in early 1992, thanks in part to the record label going for the multi-format approach with a 7", 12" plus two CDs being released. You folk will have to make do with the three tracks that came with the 12":-

mp3 : Billy Bragg - Sulk
mp3 : Billy Bragg - The Warmest Room (live)
mp3 : Billy Bragg - Revolution

Yup, its a cover of a Beatles song, although at less than 2mins in length it's a bit of a trash-through than anything else. Sulk is a great 'lost' song of Billy Bragg - one that would have not been out of place at all on the LP. Not sure where exactly the live track is taken from - there's no information on the back of the sleeve or on the label, but its from the period when Billy first toured with a band - The Redstars. I know it was an extensive and ambitious tour, and the gig I was lucky enough to see at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh was hugely enjoyable, although I recall thinking at the time that Billy seemed to often forgot that he had a band onstage with him as he delivered his ever-entertaining monologues for up to 5 minutes at a time that had the other musicians looking around for something to do in the meantime.

Here's a version I found browing around on youtube:-



Cant believe mind you that it was over 17 years ago. I reckon me and Billy have put on about the same amount of weight since then.......

A SONG I MEANT TO POST MONTHS AGO.....

The best part of a year ago was when I reviewed the book Bad Vibes : Britpop and My Part In Is Downfall by Luke Haines. The mp3s that accompanied the post covered all aspects of Luke's career with the exception of anything by the short-lived project that he called, with no concern for controversy, Baader Meinhof.

The reason for not the lack of such mp3s was simple - back in January I didn't have anything in the collection by Badder Meinhof. But that changed when I finally got my hands on a wonderful and diverse 3CD compilation rounding up Luke Haines' career. As the title of the posting indicates, this is something that I had meant to let you all hear a long while back:-

mp3 : Baader Meinhof - Baader Meinhof
mp3 : Baader Meinhof - Meet Me At The Airport

Its the sound of The Auteurs with added electronica and its bloody marvellous.

And he's still playing the songs nowadays as can be seen with this clip from October 2009:-



Happy Listening.

SOMETHING OF A LET-DOWN

I don't like using the blog to say negative things. That's why if I go to a gig that's a letdown I wont write about it, while if I buy a record that I dont like I tend to ignore it. Which is why I've never given a mention at all this year to Humbug, the lastest LP by Arctic Monkeys.

Maybe they've just set far too high a standard with their previous singles, b-sides and albums, but there was just not much about the 2009 release that got me excited. Yes, some of the lyrics are as brilliant and clever as ever, but its the disappointing lack of memorable tunes that let the current LP down. A bit too rock and not enough indie is probably the best way to sum it up.

Not enough things like these:-

mp3 : Arctic Monkeys - When The Sun Goes Down
mp3 : Arctic Monkeys - Temptation Greets You Like A Naughty Friend
mp3 : Arctic Monkeys - Who The Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?

Mind you, I'm still looking forward to seeing what happens next.......

TVV : TUESDAY 1 DECEMBER 2009 - A CORRECTION

On Tuesday 1st December 2009, TVV published some words and mp3s associated with two tracks that appeared on the CD entitled The Indie Scene 1986.

Unfortunately, due to a production error, the song by the band Easterhouse was labeled wrongly. TVV offers an unreserved and fulsome apology to all its readers for this fuck-up.

mp3 : Easterhouse - Whistling In The Dark

And as an additional apology, here's the single that was mentioned but not featured:-

mp3 : Easterhouse - Come Out Fighting

However, TVV rejects the complaint made by one reader in respect of the posting from Thursday 10th December. Everyone at TVV knows it should be Robert Forster. The words used that day merely replicated those which appeared in the sleeve notes of the CD. And yes, his solo LP The Evangelist is an exceptional piece of work.

mp3 : Robert Forster - Let Your Light In, Babe

A couple of requests came in while I was sunning myself in St Lucia and since I'm in a good mood (which is likely to change when I return back to work later today):-

mp3 : Paul Quinn & The Nectarine No.9 - Tiger Tiger
mp3 : The Skids - Vanguard's Crusade
mp3 : The Skids - All The Young Dudes
mp3 : The Skids - Hymns From A Haunted Ballroom

Happy Listening.

THE CLASS OF '79 (Part 41)

This time 30 years ago, this single had been in the shops for about a week. It would eventually climb to #11 in the UK charts and give The Clash their biggest ever hit while they were a going concern (they did of course top the charts in 1990 with a re-release of Should I Stay Or Should I Go? after its use in a telly advert).

It contains one of the most instantly recognisable opening guitar riffs on any record ever released. And a brilliant bass line that kicks in very early on and drives the song relentlessly for the rest of its three and three-quarter minutes.

And of course it was the lead track from the double-album of the same name that was released exactly 30 years ago this very day.

I really can't say very much about London Calling, the single or the LP, that hasn't been said before by critics and fans the world over, time and time again. It remains a personal favourite to this very day, and is a record that hasn't dated and never will. Musically, it has just about everything across its 19 tracks, and lyrically it contains some of the best things that Joe Strummer and Mick Jones ever put to paper.

Oh and of course, the b-side to the single, a cover of a relatively little-known reggae tune written about a year or so earlier by Willi Williams, is also quite stunning:-

mp3 : The Clash - London Calling
mp3 : The Clash - Armagideon Time **

And with that, I'm going to bring the Class of '79 series to a halt.

I hope the series has stirred a few memories for those of you old enough to remember what it was like 30 years ago, and if you're a bit younger, I hope you've enjoyed some of the antiques that have appeared here over the past 12 months.

Come the new year, I'm going to start a new series on Sundays at TVV. Haven't made my mind up yet just what it will be mind you.....

** It was remiss of me not to originally mention that the song Armagideon Time also gives its name to one of the most varied and enjoyable blogs out there. Click here and see what the talented Bitter Andrew is talking about.....

TWO OR MORE OF THE SAME (vii)

This is the very occasional series that features different songs with a common title. And given that I've just arrived back in Glasgow from my holiday, then this seems to be rather appropriate:-

mp3 : The Beloved - Hello
mp3 : Oasis - Hello
mp3 : James - Hello

The song by The Beloved is the opening track on their very fine 1990 LP Happiness and is a blend of indie pop, electronica and acid house. Released as a single at the beginning of 1990, Hello got to #19 in the UK charts.

It was 1995 when the Oasis song Hello was unleashed on the world. As with The Beloved, it is the opening track on an album, the incredibly popular What's The Story (Morning Glory). 23 million copies are reckoned to the worldwide sales of this particular album, and given that it features a sample and therefore a co-writing credit for Gary Glitter, it's probably made him quite a few bob as well.

And finally from 1999, the James song Hello is lifted from the LP Millionaires. Unlike the other two, it wasn't the opening song on the LP, but tucked away as the seventh track out of twelve. Not surprising as its downbeat melody and sad lyric make it the far from ideal track with which start an LP off.....but its another fine example of the singing talent of Tim Booth.

Thanks for continuing to pop in while I was away. The Class of '79 returns tomorrow. I'll also do an additional post which deal sorts out that mistake I made at the start of the most recent series.

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 11)

And finally completing the series of tracks and words as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : That Petrol Emotion - It's A Good Thing (Demon D1042)

Ireland's That Petrol Emotion emerged from the remnants of The Undertones to produce well-crafted pop songs with a rock aggression that had been lacking until the mid-1980s. Signed by Demon they hit the European tour circuit and are caught here on a fiery blast of wit and wisdom.

mp3 : The Psylons - Run To The Stranger (Crystal CRYSTAL 10)

Portsmouth guitar outfit at the time with psychedelic twinges whose debut mini album was given its name by John Peel 'Psylons Is Golden'. After this indie hit more singles abounded moving into "frantic drumming, femmes bass and buzzshaw guitars" territory which to continue the reviewers quote made them like "joy-riders on PCP".

Happy Listening.

Back to normal from tomorrow.

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 10)

Continuing the series of tracks and words as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : The Go Betweens- Lee Remick (Situation 2 SIT 44)

This eulogy to the actress was actually recorded in 1979 when The Go Betweens were but two, Grant McLennan and Robert Foster, and issued in their native Australia as their first single. Only issued in the UK in 1986 after signing with the Beggars Banquet empire.

mp3 : Rose Of Avalanche - Velveteen (Fire BLAZE 14)

Leeds' love of wired Goth music, long hair and serious attitudes continued with this nicely worked sub-rock groaner. Rose Of Avalanche quickly developed their cult following, progressed in Europe and secured their place in the goth hall of fame.

Happy Listening

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 9)

Continuing the series of tracks and words as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : Pop Will Eat Itself - Oh Grebo I Think I Love You (Chapter 22 CHAP 9)

While the world was beginning to jingle jangle in earnest, the Midlands' Pop Will Eat Itself launched themselves as aggressive heavy duty punk saviours. Playing it fast, flash and trashy they were quick to swap their roots for dance when the opportunity arose. 'Poppiecock EP' however, is as raw and rootsy as it gets.

mp3 : All About Eve - In The Clouds (Eden EDEN 2)

Emotional Goth-based minimalism in the true Kate Bush sense of the word, A;; About Eve were set to draw a shroud over many a bedsit session of outpouring hearts with this early 'In The Clouds' 45. Later signed to Phonogram they perfected their sound and charted.

Happy Listening

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 8)

Continuing the series of tracks and words as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : Close Lobsters - Going To Heaven To See If It Rains (Fire BLAZE 15)

Possessing a wicked vocal style and well-crafted lyrical edge, Close Lobsters are yet another indie legend who disappeared long before they had time to fulfill their promise.'Going To Heaven' tells just part of the story, if you ever get the chance to decipher any of their other drawled vocals, then grab it.

mp3 : The Mekons - Helo Cruel World (Sin SIN 4)

Another phase for the Leeds-originated band who emerged as punk heroes and embraced folk music after getting heavy-handed for a while. Whatever their guise, the secret of The Mekons was their numerous disparate bodies pulling together to make a complete sound. 'Cruel World' is a perfect example.

Happy Listening

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 7)

Continuing the series of tracks and words as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : The Flatmates - I Could Be In Heaven (Subway SUBWAY 6)

The Flatmates were altogether a wimpier variation of rock music. There were moments when the two-girl/two-boy axis strode out of their jangly following and threatened to turn the world around to their pop vision but 'Heaven' was never really capitalised on and the band eventually fell apart.

mp3 : The Chesterfields - Completely And Utterly (Subway SUBWAY 7)

The Chesterfields had little resumption of the big time, or even a grand plan. Writing throwaway pop songs in the Orange Juice mould, they were destined to be ignored by most but cherished for every limited edition 45.

Happy Listening

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 6)

Continuing the series of tracks and words as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : Erasure - Sometimes(Mute MUTE 51)

Blending pop into an electronic setting but still retaining the melody...it's easy to over-analyse Erasure. The truth of the matter is they write great pop songs.

mp3 : The Primitives - Really Stupid (Lazy LAZY 2)

Blonde power emerged in the C86 boom and The Primitives' Lazy label were snapped up by RCA. With more than its fair share of punk power and leather-clad posing, The Primitives rock lineage was destined for chart success but they could never live up to the excesses of their status.

Happy Listening

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 5)

Continuing the series of tracks and words as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : Mighty Mighty - Throwaway (Chapter 22 CHAP 10)

The poppy, bedsit side of the jangly generation was all about goofy looking guys being able to fall in love and have natural feelings - well, sort of. Mighty Mighty were the goofiest and even became groomed for pop success. Sadly, their looks never lived up to their songwriting skills.

mp3 : The Very Things - Motortown (One Little Indian DCL1)

From the nucleus of The Cravats, The Very THings resurrected Motown melodies and added a gruff, growling vocal. 'Motortown' was anthemic and should have given them a career of film noir influenced success. Sadly, and probably through the success of labelmates The Sugarcubes, they were overlooked.

Happy Listening

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 4)

Continuing the series of tracks and words as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : Goodbye Mr Mackenzie - The Rattler (Precious JEWEL 2)

Scots band Goodbye Mr Mackenzie included a former Exploited guitarist and the success if this indie 45 earnt them an EMI contract. The subsequent years saw a string of releases but it was only the numerous re-issues of this track that retained their commercial success.

mp3 : His Latest Flame - Somebody's Gonna Get Hurt (Go! Discs GOD 10)

Also from north of the border and later signed to the London label. His Latest Flame were an all-girl six-piece who fused harmonies and melodies with a Motown bent on this excellent single debut. They never quite managed to repeat the formula but this track makes up for their later output.

Happy Listening

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 3)

Continuing the series of tracks and words* as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : Billy Bragg - Levi Stubbs' Tears (Go! Discs GOD 12)

Billy Bragg's position as one of today's greater writers of telling lyrics was assured already. 'Levi Stubbs' ' merely confirmed that the simple folk sound and aggressively-penned lyrics shouldn't pass anyone by.

mp3 : Half Man Half Biscuit - Trumpton Riots (Probe Plus TRUM 17)

Madness also existed in 1986 and Tranmere's Half Man Half Biscuit had plenty of it. From and album and live show filled with TV references to Peel single success, Half Man were loved and trusted by cult fans and the rock hierarchy alike.

* As written is the sleeve notes. Don't blame my unreliable typing for the errors above. Oh and why didn't it simply say under Billy's entry.....a candidate for the most gorgeous and saddest love song of all time.

Happy Listening.

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 2)

Continuing the series of tracks and words as found on the CD The Indie Scene 1986, a compilation released in 1992.

mp3 : Pulp - Little Girl (Fire FIRE 5)

Sheffield's Jarvis Cocker and his cohorts have only recently re-emerged from a self-imposed sabbatical. Their roots go back to well-designed pop madness like this prime example from the mid-80s. Perversely on the wrong side of pop acceptance, 'Little Girl' sounds just as offbeat today.

mp3 : Blue Aeroplanes - Lover And Confidante (Fire FIRE 8)

Bristol's multi-talented and multi-personed Blue Aeroplanes were scooped from their own label onto Fire and more recently Ensign where major chart success rewarded their years of wordy prose, and multi-layered guitars.

Happy Listening.

THE INDIE SCENE 1986 (Part 1)

OK folks....you need to indulge me a fair bit over the next few postings.

I'm off on holiday for 11 nights....to somewhere far away where it is sunny and warm. And I don't intend to check in on-line all that often and see how the blog is doing in my absence. And I've decided to be really lazy while I'm away and do 11 posts of two songs each, all taken from a CD album called The Indie Scene 1986 that was released some six years later. Not only that, but I'm going to just repeat word for word what was said in the accompanying sleeve notes.

mp3 : The Weather Prophets - Almost Prayed (Creation CRE 29)

The first and best single from former Loft frontperson Peter Astor's Weather Prophets first arrived as a double-45 pack, filled with emotional harmonies and a killer hookline. The world expected the group to make major label history but their time was shortlived and superseded by a succession of fellow labelmates.

mp3 : Easterhouse - Come Out Fighting (Rough Trade RT 164)

Manchester's Easterhouse were acclaimed as The Clash to The Smiths' Pistols and certainly their songs were strong enough. Sadly, inter-band rifts saw their demise but not before this carefully-crafted pop song that exposed the inadequacies of the Northern Ireland situation.

Happy Listening.