Spooky

God you lot are hard to please! I give you a great Vicious Pink song and no comments? That’s it - I quit!

On second thought here’s the b-side; a dance version of Spooky. This was going to be a “three of a kind” post but to be honest the other version I was going to post, the Classics IV version, really isn’t very good despite being (I think) the original vocal version. Historical interest aside, I couldn’t be arsed to upload it.

Instead, here are two very different but excellent versions. The Vicious Pink version is speeded up and performed in a similar style to Fetish. The Dusty Springfield version sounds definitive to me.

mp3: Vicious Pink - Spooky
mp3: Dusty Springfield - Spooky (Buy)

Vicious Pink - Fetish

OK you older ones out there. Remember going out and buying a single, and I mean a real single, a 7 or 12 inch plastic disc, any single, maybe something you had never heard before but you felt adventurous, and getting home and playing it and being blown away? It’s something that only happened with singles. You could buy great albums but they didn’t give you the same instant gratification. Well, I got a hint of that feeling this weekend when I went to a record fair and bought a few items. With a couple of exceptions this is the first time I’ve bought vinyl for nearly 20 years. For the missus it’s a nightmare scenario – not only does she have records cluttering the house there’s now the prospect of the collection growing.

The record that caused all the excitement is the 12-inch version of Fetish by Vicious Pink. I missed this one when it was released but I knew roughly what to expect (and so would you if you remember this post). To recap, Vicious Pink started out as backing vocalists for Soft Cell, consisted of Josephine Warden and Brian Moss and they made great electronic dance records aimed at the club scene. The sort of band much more suited to the 12-inch format than 7-inch. Some 12-inch singles can outstay their welcome, especially in a non-dancing environment, but this one just gets better the longer it goes on – you’ll be glad the breakdown at five and a half minutes is a fake ending.

One word of advice:

PLAY LOUD

mp3: Vicious Pink - Fetish (Extended Version) (1985)
Produced by Tony Mansfield Re-mixed by John ‘Tokes’ Potoker.

Having read Kippers’ humorous post about the searches that have led to hits on his excellent blog it is with some trepidation that I post todays tune…

How great is this?

The original album version of Angel Eyes which after initial pressings was replaced by the single version.

mp3: Roxy Music - AngelEyes (AlbumVersion) (1978)

Get it here

Genocide EP (side one)

This is one of those posts that won’t get so many hits but I’m likely to get “I’ve been looking for this for ages” messages which I always enjoy.

As gloomy minimalist synth tunes go these take some beating. I guess if a band calls itself Genocide you shouldn’t expect a barrel of laughs. That’s not to say I don’t like them. Images Of Delusion in particular I find very compelling. These are from a four track EP which is over 18 minutes long. My original intention was to post all four tracks but after ripping side one I couldn’t face the rest. If there’s demand for it maybe I’ll rip side two someday. I would love to give you more info about Genocide but several Google sessions have revealed nothing. All I have is the band line-up as listed on the sleeve:

Greg Jung Synthesizers, Vocals, Treatments
Teoman Irmak Electronic Percussion, Treatments
Mark Schiller Electronic Percussion, Treatments

mp3: Genocide - Images Of Delusion (1979)
mp3: Genocide - Pre Set Future (1979)

There’s no date on the record but according to my increasingly unreliable memory this EP was released in 1979. I can’t help wondering what kind of teenager buys this sort of thing? Whatever you might think I can assure you I was perfectly happy at the time.

Doors Of Your Heart

Just finished watching Ashes To Ashes and they played this over the closing credits. Always loved this but can’t help thinking "P-P-P-Pick up a penguin" on some parts (about 50 seconds in for example).

mp3: The Beat - Doors Of Your Heart Dub (1981)

Buy the beat here

Don’t get me started on this English Beat shit.

Something from my soul-boy phase…

This one came to mind when reading londonlee’s slowies post last week. It’s one of those smooth soul songs that are too slow to dance to and a little too fast for a smooch but just…nice. Quite a good one for back at your place when you were trying to get the right ambience. These were the times when I kept my miserabalist electronic records under wraps (but I’ll post one tomorrow).

mp3: Sasss - I Didn't Mean It At All (1985)
Featuring Grover Washington Jr and Dexter Wansel

By popular demand...

It seems a lot of people enjoyed last Fridays China Crisis live b-side post so here’s a little bonus:

mp3: China Crisis - African and White (Remixed and Extended Version) (1981)

Buy China Crisis here

It's half term and the missus has got me looking after the kids so don't expect too many words on the next few posts.

Charity shop rummaging…

I picked up the 12-inch of Stephen ‘Tintin’ Duffy’s Kiss Me for 29p at my local Oxfam the other day. You know how I like to share…

mp3: Stephen 'Tintin' Duffy - Kiss Me (mixe plural) (1985)

Get related stuff here and here

Live b-side part 3...

This is the b-side I was going to post on Friday before I decided to go with those wonderful China Crisis songs instead.

mp3: Simple Minds - Premonition (Live) (1979)

This slightly crackly version of Premonition was the b-side of Changeling and was recorded at Hurrah’s Club, New York 24 Oct 1979.

Studio version of Premonition and full version of Changeling are on Reel To Real Cacophony.

Buy Simple Minds


I think I’ll give b-sides a rest for a while – but they will return…

How great is this?

Been trying to figure a way to get this on the old blog for a while not wanting to confuse people expecting their electro/synthpop/newro fix, but dammit it’s about time I started mixing things up a bit and the drunken Saturday post seems to be the best place to start.

I used to play this record as an eight year old, bought my own second hand copy as an 18 year old and downloaded this nice digital copy about a year ago. The original single was on Beacon, a small British label which specialised in soul in the late 60’s/early70’s. Like many great 60’s records this doesn’t nestle cosily in one genre. It’s soulful sure but there’s also a bit of reggae and rock in there.

mp3: Black Velvet - African Velvet (1969)

Currently available on the compilation album Let’s Copp A Groove. I can’t vouch for the rest of the album but if this is anything to go by it’s got to be worth a try…

Let’s hear it for the live b-side part 2 (and introducing the double single pack)

These three live China Crisis songs are from the You Did Cut Me double single pack. They were recorded at the Liverpool Empire on 19th May 1985. They are all good versions with Christian being particularly lovely.

mp3: China Crisis - You Did Cut Me (Live) (1985)
mp3: China Crisis - Christian (Live) (1985)
mp3: China Crisis - Seven Sports For All (Live) (1985)

Buy China Crisis here. I was particularly impressed with the person who reviewed the Warped By Success CD. He says: “I am a big China Crisis album, and I rate this very highly”. I know what he means…

Let’s hear it for the live b-side...

The live b-side is quite a neat idea. The presence of a live version of an old favourite just might convince a fan to buy a single even though he already has the a-side on the album.

This is Side 2 of the brilliant Revolt Into Style 12-inch single.

mp3: Bill Nelson’s Red Noise - Stay Young
mp3: Bill Nelson’s Red Noise - Out Of Touch

Recorded live at Leicester De Montfort Hall, 8 March 1979

Band Line-up:
Bill Nelson Guitar, Vocals
Andy Clark Keyboards
Ian Nelson Saxophone, keyboards
Rick Ford Bass
Steve Peer Drums

Get the solitary Red Noise album here.

Gorgeous, George…

This isn’t what I had planned for today but I’ve just read this post about slowies and it brought this song to mind. Can’t argue at all with Lee’s choice of songs or add anything to what he says. Except…

Sometimes a DJ would throw in a less obvious song with varying results. One that worked for me was Colour By Numbers by Culture Club, the b-side of Victims. Despite its title it didn’t originally appear on the Colour By Numbers album but it is on one of the CD re-issues, which is good because it deserves to be heard. Less overwrought than its a-side, the uncluttered production puts the focus on George’s singing and he’s in great voice.

mp3: Culture Club - Colour By Numbers (1983) (Buy)

The picture above is a partial scan of the poster that came with the single, hence the fold lines.

Still rummaging for b-sides…

Here’s a radical idea for a b-side: why not make it a quirky song almost as good as the a-side. As we know that didn’t happen all that often but that just made it sweeter when they did crop up.

Today’s offering, Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Getting) by Devo, is the b-side of their classic (I Can’t Get Me No) Satisfaction. This is one of those singles where both sides got equal play back in my teens and there’s no sign of my tiring of them yet. These songs were re-recorded for the first album with Brian Eno producing and something was lost in the process. Not that the Eno versions are radically different but the 'garage-y' feel is missing. I’m sure if I had never heard the singles I would have thought the album versions were fine.

I’ve no idea how readily available these songs are. They often appear on compilation CDs but there’s usually no indication which versions they are so I stick with my old stiff 45.

mp3: Devo - (I Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction

mp3: Devo - Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Getting)

Buy Devo

A drunken Saturday night post…

This lovely kitsch 70’s song is by a band called Dolphin and was released on Private Stock records in 1978. I don’t know much about Dolphin (I can’t even find a picture) but the few references to them on the internet describe them as a prog rock band. I wouldn’t have guessed that from this single; these guys make Barclay James Harvest sound like the Sex Pistols. And what the hell is a prog band doing signing to Private Stock, where you would normally expect to hear Frankie Valli singing My Eyes Adored You, anyway?

Whatever the answer, if you like your records with breathy vocals, flutes and strings and just a little bit camp give it a try.

mp3: Dolphin - Carry Me Away (1978)

Meanwhile...How great is this?

Believe it or not the wife still has trouble watching this

How could I forget this?

I’ve been listening to some old B-sides recently and this week the plan was to post one everyday but you all know how it is. This is one I had almost forgotten about. It’s the B-side of Games Without Frontiers and it’s an early more sparse version of the Start + I Don’t Remember tracks, which both appeared on the brilliant Peter Gabriel 3 album (still his best if you ask me).

I 'forgot' about this because I played it 28 years ago, decided the album version was better and then in my mind this became the 'crap' version. I played it last week not expecting much and to my surprise I really enjoyed it. In fact, I can’t stop playing it. The album version is still definitive, I particularly miss Tony Levin’s Stick parts, but there’s a lot to enjoy here. It would be ideal bonus track material but as far as I know it hasn’t appeared on any CD re-issue.

mp3: Peter Gabriel - The Start + I Don’t Remember (Early Mix) (1980)

The Start produced by Steve Lillywhite
I Don’t Remember produced by Peter Gabriel and Steve Taylor

Buy Peter Gabriel Here.

You said you felt the earth move…it turned out to be the fridge

How could you not love a song with a line like that? It’s from I Know These Things About You by Neil Arthur of Blancmange fame. It was on his 1994 album Suitcase, sadly not currently available, but I got it from a CD given away with Vox magazine way back when. I came across it tonight while randomly playing songs from my hard drive and enjoyed it so much I just had to share it with you.

mp3: Neil Arthur - I Know These Things About You

Any Blancmange fans out there will love this. You will also be pleased to know I have unearthed a Blancmange live tape from the early 80s with six songs from the Happy Families album. They will be featured on this blog when I find the time to convert them.

Buy Blancmange