The weekend starts here

Picked up a handful of classic disco era 12-inch singles from a charity shop a couple of weeks ago. This is exactly the sort of thing I hope to find in these shops because I bought very little of it at the time but really enjoy this stuff now. The pick of the bunch by a mile was Weekend by Phreek (or Patrick Adams Presents Phreek as the label has it). Information on Phreek is pretty scarce on the internet but this record is rightly regarded as a disco classic.

Of course, if you’re going to sit at your computer and listen to it it’s far too long at 8 minutes so I suggest you get up and boogie.

Phreek - Weekend (1978)

+ve -ve

Here’s the other record I bought last Friday. It’s the 12-inch version of the third Positive Noise single Positive Negative. This is another one I missed at the time. I loved their debut single Ghosts/Give Me Passion but wasn’t sure about the follow up Charm/And Yet Again (which I must post here one day) and never really investigated further. That’s a shame because these songs are much more up my synthy post-punk alley.

Former vocalist Ross Middleton had left to form Leisure Process by now so the band line-up is:

Russell Blackstock – Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals
Graham Middleton – Keyboards
Frazer Middleton – Bass Guitar
Les Gaff – Drums

Positive Noise - Positive Negative (12-inch version) (1981)
Positive Noise - Energy (1981)

I’ve also got some live Positive Noise which I will feature soon.

New discovery

I recently discovered there is a record shop I didn’t know about just under 7.3 miles from my house (according to AA Route Planner) that’s been there for years. I took a trip over there yesterday afternoon and didn’t give myself anywhere near enough time for a good rummage before having to dash off and pick the kids up from school. I did, however, pick up a couple of 12-inch singles which will be featured here over the next few days.

The first is a collaboration between Vince Clarke (of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure) and Paul Quinn (of Bourgie Bourgie and several other bands/collaborations. See here for more information).

Somehow I missed this record in 1985 so these songs are new to me but this is just the sort of thing I hope to discover when I go record shopping.

Vince Clarke Paul Quinn - One Day extension (1985)

Vince Clarke Paul Quinn - Song For extension (1985)

The other groovy 12-inch single to be featured soon.

After all that seasonal over indulgence you lot need a workout…

Unfortunately this wasn’t a surprise

Mick Karn lost his battle with cancer on 4th January 2011. He was only 52.

The best tribute I can pay him is he changed the way I thought about bass playing. Probably yours to if you’re about my age.

Here’s some old favourites featured on this blog way back in 2007.

Mick Karn - Sensitive (1982)

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)