Happy New Year

So the ole blog has just about made it through another year. If all goes to plan there will be regular posts with a common theme running for the whole of next year and I’ll be returning to my roots with loads of vinyl rips.

I’ll finish this year with a song from my favourite new album of 2010. All right, I’ll be honest, it’s the only new album I’ve bought all year but it was a good one.

Happy New Year to you all and be sure to check back next year.

Bill Nelson - Real Worlds and Dream Worlds (2010)

Another fine singer gone..

I got a DMCA takedown notice for my Dec 14th post about the sad death of Woolly Wolstenholme. Apparently posting a 38-year old song to a select group of people, most of whom had never heard of him, is a big no no even though the response was very positive. Well today I read of the passing of Teena Marie. I don’t know a lot about Teena but some of her songs have found her way into my collection including her biggest UK hit ‘Behind The Groove’. I’m going to risk the wrath of DMCA and share the 12-inch version of that song. Most of you probably already have it. Those of you who haven’t need to hear this and investigate further. That’s how blogging is supposed to work. I know I like most of you have bought more music because of blogs. Maybe those guys will get it one day.

Teena Marie - Behind the Groove [12' Version] (1980)

Random Friday

Welcome to my second random record day, where you choose the music. I’m going to post them in the order I received your numbers.

Kippers chose 86:
Eurythmics – Never Gonna Cry Again (1981)
I was quite a Tourists fan and had both of their LPs so this first Eurythmics single was eagerly awaited by me. I was quite disappointed at the time, considering it not to be electronic enough and I only bought it from the bargain bin some weeks later. Now I think it’s pretty good. Not up there with Love is A Stranger but I like Conny Plank’s production, the metronomic beat and the instrumental break in the middle. Annie Lennox is quite restrained, too restrained I thought at the time but considering her occasional tendency to go over the top I now consider it a well judged performance.

Simon chose 57:
Bananarama – Aie a Mwana (1981)
It’s easy to forget that Bananrama were quite a hip band in their early days. Originally recorded under this title by Black Blood, this is a great record actually recorded as a demo according to Wikipedia. It’s sung in Swahili which the girls had to learn phonetically. Oh, and of course Keren Woodward was hot.

Mondo chose 16:
Spandau Ballet – The Freeze (1981)
I’ve cheated a bit on this one. As fine as this single is I had to dig out my 12-inch version. In fact this is the ‘Special Mix’ featured on Side 2 of the 12-inch. It’s six and a half minutes long and the finest version of this song you’ll ever hear. However unhip this view might be Spandau Ballet were bloody great at their best.

DavyH chose 33:
Malcolm McLaren – Duck For The Oyster (1983)
I knew I had Buffalo Gals and Madam Butterfly but I totally forgot about this one. It all came flooding back when I put it on. An energetic and fun novelty record and I don’t mean that in a disparaging way.

DickVanDyke chose 7:
Tom Tom Club – Under The Boardwalk (1982)
I’m not generally a fan of cover versions this one gets it right. Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz & Co update the old Drifters classic and make it their own.

DarkDance chose 51:
Fashion – Silver Blades (1980)
And I’m glad he did. The final single by the original line-up of Fashion. If I was a bit disappointed with this at the time it’s only because I was comparing it to the outstanding Steady Eddie Steady, Citinite and Product Perfect LP. Taken on it’s own merits it’s a good example of Fashion’s trademark reggae influenced sound.

Woolly Wolstenholme (15 April 1947 - 13 December 2010)

I was saddened to read this statement earlier today: "It is with profound sorrow that we have to announce the passing of Woolly Wolstenholme. In recent weeks Woolly's mental health had taken a turn for the worse and sadly he took his own life on Monday 13th December 2010. In this difficult time our thoughts are with Woolly's partner, Sue. We would ask all of Woolly's fans to remember his incredible contribution to popular music and his unique presence on stage."

You all know progressive rock is one of my guilty pleasures. Woolly Wolstenholme was keyboard player for Barclay James Harvest (second from left in the picture). He was my favourite type of keyboard player: one who provided orchestrations, colour and textures. He played Mellotron a lot which is a big plus in my book.

Degenerated blog

As you may have noticed I had just about given up on this blog but I got a new turntable this weekend so I’ve been digging in the vinyl cupboard again. These are the first three tracks from Pink Military’s Do Animals Believe In God? LP which despite being a cult favourite has never received a CD release. I was going to rip all of side one but I got sidetracked. I’ll upload them at a later date if there’s a demand for it.

Pink Military – Degenerated Man (1980)
Pink Military – I Cry (1980)
Pink Military – Did You See Her (1980)

To celebrate my new turntable purchase and give it a good workout I’m going to repeat my random singles experiment so choose a number between 1 and 100 and I will play the corresponding record from one of my singles boxes (probably on Friday).