the rain fell down

The End of the Affair

2007-07-25T11:18:00.000+01:00

We've come to the last post on The Rain Fell Down, and the reason is of course that I'm sadly no longer in Glasgow and I've already put off the ending for too long. I started writing here so people could keep track of what I was doing in the rain, but it ended up being more about keeping track of the music I discovered. And then there was the radio show of course. As far as I know all off the programmes and podcasts are still available to download, and everything will stay that way for as long as technology allows. It's been fantastic living in Glasgow and it turned out I met some really nice people through this blog. So cheers to everyone who was kind to me, cheers to Sinister, to everyone who has read and listened, to people who have left comments or written, and to the poor old souls who have bothered dragging stuff down to the post office. I hope you've found music you didn't know you couldn't live without and I hope I've helped some bands on their way (back - in some cases...). I'll return some day, but I'm not dead you know! I'm alive, starting a new degree that will probably get me stuck in Malmö for some years, with lots of new favourite bands to discover - and I'll write about it all on Heaven Is Above Your Head. Malmö is still quite POP!, although it's not in the same league as Glasgow. But if I happen to miss it to much I can always put on a song by Butcher Boy, The Hermit Crabs, All My Friends, Wake the President, Cake Taker, BMX Bandits, The Orchids, California Snow Story, Tibi Lubin, The Pastels, Zoey Van Goey, Park Attack or any of all the other bands that will always make me think about Glasgow - and I'm sure I'll smiling again in no time. I'll think about sitting in my garden, picnicing in Kelvingrove Park, dancing at NPL, the West End foxes, drinking strudel tea at Tchai Ovna and splashing along in George Square. And everything and everyone else! But naturally, playing at The Winchester Club with A Smile and a Ribbon will always be special. I keep forgetting it's happened... It was so nice to have you all in my flat! And thanks to everyone who came to see the gig - I hope you want us to come back soon. So drop by on the other end of the rainbow, and I leave you with you a goodbye hug underneath your umbrella!

In the Hit Parade

2007-07-25T11:11:00.001+01:00

Thought it might be interesting to see some statistics of which were the most popular DROPs, as the end is now imminent. Of course the old ones have been up longer, so it won't tell you too much. For example the Paul Chastain tune has already been downloaded 32 times, and I only just put it up. Anyway, there's no doubt about The Suede Crocodiles keeping their position at the top!

The Suede Crocodiles - Stop the Rain (288)
The Suede Crocodiles - Paint Yourself a Rainbow (215)
The Bridal Shop - From Seas (204)
Skypark - Bicycle Boy (199)
Twa Toots - Don't Send Me Flowers (195)
The Search Engines - There She Goes (178)
The Mayfields - Call My Name (177)
The Pines - If She Doesn't Smile (It'll Rain) (175)

DROP 86

2007-07-25T10:44:00.000+01:00

I thought eighty-six might be a good number to end on... And what better way to bow out than with a fabulous unreleased demo from one of the best bands ever: Reserve. As you know, Reserve only released a single ep before splitting up, with some of the members joining James Dean Driving Experience. But there was so much more material. I think I've got 21 demos now all in all. "Adrian Fabulous" is one of the very best, dripping with sarcasm and resignation. Since then Torquil has recorded the odd solo song, as The Atom Miksa Reservation. Some of them are on MySpace and Ally told me he's just put up some new ones, so head on over.

DROP 86
Reserve - Adrian Fabulous

A Is an Alphabet

2007-07-25T01:04:00.000+01:00

Going on tour is seemingly bad luck. First we find out the weather will be shite for Indietracks, we end up with no place to sleep, making t-shirts and bags didn't work because of a faulty screen printing frame, further delays at Shelflife means we won't have any records to sell (once again) and we might not even have a drum-kit for our Gothenburg gig. But either way, A Smile and a Ribbon will soon be in a parish near you! And you WILL be able to pre-order the record for an attractive price, though. The English dates have been on Indie MP3 already but here's the full rundown:

Emmaboda Festival, July 25th @ the festival pre-party
w/ Billie the Vision & the Dancers, Mixtapes & Cellmates, Effete

Indietracks Festival, July 29th First on @ the main stage on the second day.

Nottingham, July 31st @ The Rescue Rooms
w/ The Besties, The Deirdres

London, August 1st @ The Brixton Windmill

w/ Fosca, The Besties, The Parallelograms

Cardiff, August 2nd @ O'Neill's

w/ The Besties, Silence At Sea, The School

Gothenburg, August 3rd @ Kontiki

See you tomorrow!

DROP 85

2007-07-25T00:13:00.000+01:00

Alistair was kind enough to send me a cdr full of Emily demos a while back, and now I've finally gotten round to posting something from it. Two of the songs are from the first demo they recorded, which was in 1986, and "Pure As Winter" is one of them. I still haven't heard the Stumble EP on Esurient, although there is an acoustic version of the title track on the cdr. It's called "Mermaid" and is simply magnificent in all its stark beauty. Send Emily your everlasting love here. Only one left now.

DROP 85

Emily - Pure As Winter

Don't Throw Bouquets At Me

2007-07-24T23:43:00.000+01:00

I went to see Maher Shalal Hash Baz at Mono, right before going on said Gothenburg trip. They actually stopped just in time for me to rush down Argyle Street to catch the train to Prestwick. It was a very good gig - I've never seen them before so I'm glad I got that chance because I apparently missed out on a gig they did here in Sweden at the Full Pull festival recently. Tenniscoats played here in Malmö as well, as did Kama Aina. That was probably what upset me most about missing that festival, as I'd seen all the other bands before. But of course, the Malmöits (?...that's just a proposed term) didn't have the pleasure of seeing Bill Wells playing piano for them. It didn't seem like he'd gotten a chance to practise before the Mono gig, because every time Maher turned a page in the score you could see Bill looking intently at it trying to figure out how to play it. All the while trying to keep the neck of Maher's guitar out of the way. All the members had done solo sets prior to that, and on the average they were great, but it was even better when it all came together. And they got some drumming assistance from Katrina for one of the songs - that was the best one in my opinion.

So I've written about going to Gothenburg and coming back, but what did I actually do there you might wonder? Well, I went to visit a friend and to go to the recently resurrected indiepop club Taramasalata (named after an Eggstone tune). My friend's taken over the task of arranging the club and on this premiere night she'd gotten Jörgen from Fraction Discs to play records. That's him above, just about to pay his respects to Keith Girdler by spinning some Blueboy.

I always enjoy coming to Gothenburg as it's such a beautiful city. This is was it looks like. Well not really, but it CAN - if you happen to be in the Botanic Gardens. However, it was stiflingly hot this time. There was a terrible heat wave that weekend with temperatures at about 30 degrees. I also went to see the penguins of course. Didn't you know we had penguins in Sweden? They were in a pool of course. It was hard to resist jumping in the water too.

And flamingos there were. All in Slottsskogen - a sort of park/zoo thing just across the motorway from Kontiki, where the club was. Don't you think we could use some flamingos in Kelvingrove Park?

Because We're Not Dead, Yet

2007-07-24T23:22:00.000+01:00

No, you have to stay alive until you've gotten hold of Slow Club's first single. I've ordered my copy from Moshi Moshi (which is probably the easiest option if you're not in the UK) and I'm waiting impatiently. When you've got "Because We're Dead" in your hand you can pass away with a smile on your face. And a tune in your brain. No, lots of tunes. That won't go away. I had they pleasure of seeing Slow Club at Tchai Ovna, the same day I came back to Glasgow from my Gothenburg trip (more about that soon). It was a Sunday - June the 10th. Tchai Ovna is a really small place so there was no dancing, just some serious twitching. If I was proper reviewer I'd probably say there was a really tangible atmosphere, or something. But I don't have to tell you how special this gig was. Slow Club is a band destined for worldwide success, just like Architecture In Helsinki, so it was a privilege to see them do this small (in several respects) gig, which was the first gig of their first headlining tour! No room to dance, but I did some jumping and skipping on my way home instead. If you heard someone singing "Sunday" down Great George St it was probably me! David was shocked to find the entry was 6 quid, but it made sense because there turned out to be three acts. Local boy Only Joe Kane was first on. I've missed several opportunities to see him before so I was glad to catch him finally. He played solo this time, but managed to really rock out. How could you fail in those sunglasses?:

The middle band was a band called Finniston (and were not from Finnieston) and they were good as well. They sounded a bit like Aberfeldy and The Lucksmiths, but were scarily competent. I mean, they found out they only had two microphones, so they decided to sing without mics - still they managed to make their three-part harmonies heard! And the guy who played double bass and violin was obviously a professional musician and played in an orchestra. I think I had something witty to say about them a month ago, but that's what I get for putting off writing about it for so long, I guess.

DROP 84

2007-07-24T00:46:00.000+01:00

This song seems very fitting considering the weather both in England and Sweden lately. Hope we don't get washed away at Indietracks! As you might remember this was the closing track on my Rip It Up tape as well, so here's a chance for everone else to hear it. I've got this on the Bus Stop compilation Peppermint Stick Parade (I don't have to tell you what a brilliant, brilliant name that is) from 1995, but it's originally from that legendary Bus Stop flexi that was the first thing they released. This split-flexi from 1987 also had The Stupid Cupids' "Big Blue Bus" on it. The Stupid Cupids were of course Paul and Ric in yet another disguise and the song is pretty much a demo version of what later became "Big Blue Buzz" by The Choo Choo Train! While you're at it you should also download "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes" from The Siddeleys' website, if you haven't already.

DROP 84

Paulie Chastain - Raining All Day

DROP 83

2007-07-24T00:14:00.000+01:00

I've finally heard the Postcard For Flossy EP by The Poppyheads, that was the fourth flexi in the Sha-La-La series. Since the Cremation Town EP on Sarah became one of my favourite releases on the label, I've been desperate to hear these four songs. To be honest they're very different from say, "Dreamabout". Not unaccomplished, but more twee maybe - definitely more naive! Once you get used to the thought though, they're briliant songs. Three of them with female backing vocals. The third one is the one on which you can glimpse the sound and direction they later went for. This is "First Thing". It's a crying shame they only did one proper 7". And it's a shame I can't afford it!

DROP 83

The Poppyheads - First Thing

All For Art and Art For All

2007-07-23T23:13:00.000+01:00

One of the best things that happened the last weeks I was in Glasgow was the Art School's Degree Exhibition. It's definitely the best art show I've seen since the fourth Berlin biennial last year. Unfortunately I never got around to seeing the Master of Fine Arts graduates' stuff, which was housed in the Tramway. I spent several days going through the main building and the adjoining ones though. Everything there was done by the Bachelor graduates and all the fine arts stuff were in the main building. Design, ceramics, textiles and jewelry amongst others were just across the street. The first day I went, I barely had time to see two floors in the main building. There wasn't that much traditional painting, which was good. I liked some of the photography and there were some great video works and installations. For example there was a really funny animation that included a falling leaf. It had some spooky concrete music set to it and suddenly, before the leaf hit the ground, it opened its mouth and let out a shrill scream. It was in a separate room, so everyone in the next room turned their heads and wondered what was going on every time the scream recurred! There was a fascinating installation that was a low corridor you could walk through, after taking your shoes off. Everything around you was covered in black and white checkers, and there was some other stuff that your experience of being in there could make you relate to. In the same part was also my favourite work, which was more conceptual - a Japanese girl called Masako Ueda had made screen prints on paper towels. She'd then placed them in dispensers that she had photographed in various locations, e.g. next to the Kelvin River. On the first day her paper towels had also been in the toilets of the main building. The whole point of course, was that you were supposed to take one, but I don't think many people understood that. There were also printed tissues, because the whole thing derived from the Japanese phenomenon of handing out free paper tissues with advertisements on them. Apparently no one buys tissues because pretty much every company gives them away as a PR thing. So it obviously related to pop art and commercialism. But also the aloofness of the art establishment. I was quite surprised at the prices some of the graduates had set on their works. Lots of things were £300 and above and prices seemed to depend on the size of the work and not the amount of time spent on it. I liked the fact that many artists had things that were not for sale (which seems to suggest it means something to them, beyond being just something to be proud of), and I liked Masako's works - because they was free. I like art you can take home, interact with, or at least touch. Otherwise it sometimes gets hard to relate to it or get something from it. Another interesting thing, which was independent of the degree show was that there were works on display from something called 'the one pound gallery' or similar. This a project to encourage artists to share their work, and might be a possible outlet for unfinished or unsatisfactory works. The idea was that you could take a picture of the thing you've created, which should correlate to the value of one pound in some way (e.g. the costs of the materials or the amount of time spent on in relation to what the artists would normally charge). The gallery would then consider it and if accepted the artist would be paid one pound.

DROP 82

2007-07-20T00:41:00.001+01:00

Here's another one from Grimsby Fishmarket 4 Norrkoeping 0. Mary-Go-Round are apparently a legendary Swedish indiepop band. If you'd asked me about them a few months ago though, I wouldn't have had a clue who they were. Since then I've found out that they were from Luleå and only released one 7" that I still haven't heard, on the West Side Fabrication label, which became the biggest indie label in Sweden during the early 90's. This single, pictured above, came out in 1990 and that is probably from when the song here is too. The picture was taken from eBay, were the crazy guy 'macbeats' from Gothenburg had put up a copy for £199! The first Eggstone single was priced similarly and man, that person must be in serious need of money. Thankfully no one bought it, as you can see if you follow the link. Anyway, Mary-Go-Round must be pretty good judging from this song which is the best on the tape together with the Orchids one.

DROP 82

Mary-Go-Round - Into the Morgue

DROP 81

2007-07-20T00:15:00.000+01:00

This is the first of two songs I'm posting from Grimsby Fishmarket 4 Norrkoeping 0 - the tape I mentioned in the last post and that I'm guessing came at the same time as the fourth issue of the fanzine. The full tracklisting can be found on TweeNet. It's a capital crime The Orchids didn't keep a master tape of "And When I Wake Up", because it is definitely one of their best songs! Apparently there's been a thread on the Indiepop list about this after I put in on a cd I gave to Brogues... If you're on the list, Marianthi was kind enough to give you a download link for the whole tape. If not, here you go.

DROP 81
The Orchids - And When I Wake Up

What a Palaver!

2007-07-20T00:04:00.000+01:00

I didn't tell you about the perhaps biggest surprise at Rip It Up. In the middle of a gig Andrew turned and pointed towards a girl wearing a white t-shirt with "Grimsby Fishmarket" printed in large green letters - "that's something you don't see everyday!", he said and I could only agree. For those of you who don't know, Grimsby Fishmarket was an old Swedish pop fanzine. Then later on, as we were looking through the stuff Fraction Discs were selling at the festival, there were three issues of the fanzine and it's predecessor Smash Hit Wonder. It wasn't too difficult to solve the mystery though, as Jörgen told me that the girl wearing the t-shirt worked together with one of the guys who used to do the fanzine. He had lots of un-sold copies lying around at home and was planning to throw them out. So she'd brought them to the festival instead! I've read through the first issue that you can see pictured above, and it was really interesting. They seem to have been very into the whole él scene. Felt strange reading a fanzine in Swedish though, but it only proves that it can be done. The fifth issue (which was the other one they sold) came with a transparent flexi holding two songs by Chocolate Barry. I didn't know this artist but they were nice enough songs and I was surprised to find that their address was Bunkeflostrand - a small suburb to Malmö that I've actually been to a few times! The writers of the fanzine also made a cassette compilation that has become quite legendary, because it included an exclusive track from The Orchids. I heard something about there being cds with the songs from the tape, but I'm not sure if that was true. But luckily a kind soul actually sent me a ripped version of the tape on a cd a couple of months ago (two or three songs didn't fit on it though), so I'll be putting up two of the songs here shortly. The Orchids told me that they hadn't heard the song in question themselves for about 15 years, so I hope these people still have a master tape or something! I don't think Fraction Discs sold all the copies of the fanzines, so you could write to them and ask if you're interested. Or you could write to Marcus Törncrantz, to whom to can send a message via the Indiepop Directory entry for Grimsby Fishmarket. I think that might be the person we're talking about here.

DROP 80

2007-07-17T23:03:00.000+01:00

My favourite band at the moment is probably this long-forgotten Shelflife act. I had never heard them until quite recently because Shelflife seems not to have cared too much about releases once they'd sold out. I never read anthing about them, and there were no songs to download. They're called Brittle Stars and are like a cross between the otherwise best two bands on the label - Skypark and The Autocollants. They have the crisp guitars of the former and gorgeous keyboards of the latter. And they have an almost unparalleled asset in singer Estelle, who's voice is truly heavenly. The first time I heard them was this year, when I got "Falling Backwards" on a Japanese compilation 7". Then I heard California Snow Story's cover of "This Trip" from the Shelflife comp You're Still Young At Heart. That was such an amazing song and I couldn't believe my ears when I heard the original, which was even better! Brittle Stars only recorded one, self-titled album and then split up. Three remaining songs were released together with compilation tracks and remixes as Garage Sale in 2001. Both records are now seemingly impossible to find! If you get addicted to Estelle's voice too, you should look up her new band Elephant Parade and buy their album Bedroom Recordings on their MySpace. Brittle Stars were simply too good for this world.

DROP 80
Brittle Stars - No Longer Waiting

The Man Who Paints the Rainbows

2007-07-17T22:31:00.001+01:00

On the second day God created the wellingtons. I put them on in anticipation of a rainy day and looked forward to some good old puddle-jumping. The weather had been great for most of the first day, but the Saturday was worse. It wasn't difficult to kill time though as there were enough people I knew to keep me talking until 5 pm. We also got a chance to listen to my tape, although we were almost interrupted because Patrik was drunk and needed some Boyracer badly. Lovejoy were first on and Richard arrived punctually an hour before the gig. He said he wasn't very well rehearsed and did a fairly short set. It was great to meet him, and I should probably say 'hi' because it seems he has been reading this blog. I'd seen him once before three years ago, but back then I didn't have the confidence to talk to strangers, even if I happened to love the music they made. I got to take some pictures from the stage while Richard did a very casual soundcheck. From this one you can probably guess the cover he opened with, if your myopia isn't getting too bad.

The best thing was probably a medley of "Radio" and "I Dream of Angels". And it made me very happy to hear "The Beat Hotel" as the last song. Lovejoy was probably the biggest attraction for me that day, because I still wasn't counting on TVPs. I hadn't seen Dan since yesterday and it wouldn't have surprised me if he'd gotten lost in the woods or if he hadn't survived the night. The next band to play were My Darling You!, whom I have also seen before and that gig didn't exactly leave me craving for more. I think it's something about the way the guy sings... It's simply too Gothenburg. I would have loved to see The Dreamers play at Rip It Up, but I had to settle for Action Biker. I don't think Sarah has done any gigs as Action Biker for a while and most of the songs were new to me. Sounded great though! The Dreamers' album should be out on Friendly Noise sometime this year.

Sarah also sang a bit with the next band, Kissing Mirrors, who were probably the biggest surprise to me. I'd only heard their old ep, but they were really good live. Kissing Mirrors grew out of the Unreal Scarlet's Well that played at Mitt Sista Liv. Bid came over alone and had various Swedish musicians as his backing band. At that time Scarlet's Well didn't have a fixed line-up anyway. Kissing Mirrors have many different vocalists and at Rip It Up Hanna Fahl, Sarah Nyberg-Pergament, Mikael from The Honeydrips and the guy from Nicolas Makelberge took turns. Another band that I know many had been looking forward to was of course Cats On Fire. With a debut album that makes most of the competition look pale and an increasing international buzz speaking for them, things have never looked better for the Finnish quartet. It showed that they're getting confident and the gig at Rip It Up was among the best I've seen them do. My friends Kajsa played the organ as well, and it sounded great. It was smiles all around as they did an excellent version of "My Friend In a Comfortable Chair" for the encore. Now all they have to do is prove that they can follow up! Everyday Mistakes played after them and in that light they weren't very interesting. I saw them years ago at Mitt Sista Liv, when they sounded very different and I hazily remember that as being better. Dickon Edwards had been walkling around festival area as well that day, wearing a suit as usual and thickly applied make up. I spoke to him a bit after the Lovejoy gig as we're playing with Fosca in London on August 1st. I had to say hello, I figured. Some of my friends sensed an unforgettable moment as Dick and Dickon went to get some food at the small kiosk, and brought out their cameras. "Dick och Dickon köper korv" is a headline that sounds great in Swedish, but it just doesn't work translated so I won't bother. The Fosca gig was great actually, much more of a rock-out than I'd expected. Plus Dickon was left-handed so might be able to borrow his guitar in London! They played some new songs, like "I've Agreed to Something I Should Have", and some old, like "The Millionaire of Your Own Hair" and "The Agony Without the Ecstacy".

The last act were Television Personalities and I think they pulled the biggest crowd of all the bands, which only makes sense. But what doesn't make sense is that it was obvious everyone wasn't there. Did some people think "hmmm... am I going to see TVPs, or am I just going to stay here in my tent and drink some more?", or what?. It's possible not everyone knew who they were, but come on! The might never play in this country again. Because they did play - kind of. Everyone was standing in front of the stage, waiting, wondering if it was actually going to happen. Then suddenly they came in - Dan, a drummer, a bassist and a backing vocalist in a pretty dress. Patrik (Ring Snuten!) lent him his guitar and the sound guy had help him to get it on. After much shouting, from the audience and from Daniel, they started playing a song. Then the guitar went quiet. Dan was too drunk to understand what was happening - he'd probably been drinking all day, and he asked for at least two beers during the time the gig lasted. He had hit the mic switch on the guitar, and I don't know if maybe one of the mics didn't work but there sure wasn't any sound. Eventually he understood and flipped the switch back. Then he started playing again, and hit the switch again. So it went on and on throughout the gig. I don't think they finished one song properly. He tried to play all the hits though, as far as his memory allowed. It was a lot of "Alright, I'll fucking play Smashing Time! I fucking wrote that, you know!" and the like. He didn't seem able to deal with the audience very well and interchanged between shouting "fuck off!" and smiling happily at the outstretched hands. God knows most of them were probably as drunk as he was. You had to admire the backing band though, who were very patient and really tried. But it just wasn't possible, Dan was simply too drunk. I left before they stopped because it felt like this could go on forever. It was a very sad affair the whole thing. I went to get some sleep and luckily woke up just in time to get the ONLY bus into town before my train was leaving. Apparently there were many who just had to get on that bus to be in time for the train. The desperation was increasing as the bus queue grew and grew and the rain kept pouring. It turned out everyone got on ok, thank god. Hopefully it was all successful enough for the arrangers to try it again next year. I would go, at least!

DROP 79

2007-07-16T23:34:00.000+01:00

I still think James Dean Driving Experience are every bit as good as they're reputed to be. (And as they seem to think themselves.) Still no news of the compilation though. I would indeed have payed a lot for this 12" so I hope it comes before the next copy turns up on eBay! This song is my favourite JDDE song, though there are still a few I haven't heard. It's simply a perfect pop song and indeed it is one of my favourite songs of all time. They actually had quite a distinct sound for being a jangle pop outfit. They had a violin player (that actually sounds like a third guitarist on "Ballad of Bedford Town") and were sometimes joined by the distiguished folk guitarist Mac Macleod. The singer also has a very soft and pleasant voice, although it's sometimes so mellow you can't make out the lyrics. The actor on the cover of Clearlake Revisited is Rita Hayworth and all of their record covers had different actors on the front. All female, predictably. Thanks to Brogues for making this post possible!

DROP 79

James Dean Driving Experience - Drop Dead Darling

Please Don't Play "Rip It Up"

2007-07-16T23:10:00.000+01:00

So, what was Rip It Up like then? Apart from hearing the Orange Juice song so many times I won't be able to listen to it for quite a while. The location was quite nice - outside a small town called Säffle, lodged inside a small industrial area and right next to a heritage-marked marsh. The car park was actually in the marsh area, which didn't seem like a very bright idea to me. And going for a swim in the two feet deep 'lake' wasn't either, as three of my friends found out.

The stage was an extension of one of the loading docks to the big building you can see in the picture above. I don't think everyone knew that what was actually inside was a fair-sized football pitch made of synthetic grass! But the arrangers Johan and Fredrik were terrified people would sneak in and ruin it anyway! I travelled up on the Thursday, which turned out to be pointless because there wasn't much to do. At least in the evening Mikael and Viktor, formerly of the legendary Starke Adolf club played some records on the stage. Friday was one long wait for the bands to get started. But the rest of my friends all arrived that day so there was plenty to do. Also, Fraction Discs did a short but sweet dj set. As they played "Throw Aggi From the Bridge" my friend Andrew from London walked past the stage. I didn't realise it was him until I saw him again after that. He told me he'd recorded a snippet with his camera to send to Mike from Slumberland/Black Tambourine. He knows Mike of course, because they were both once in The Crabapples. It didn't seem like the stage crew would be able to get everything working and sounding ok for 5 pm, and unfortunately The Sunny Street had some problems with the sound. But it was good anyway, because no one had any expectations as they have never played in Sweden before (in fact this was their second gig ever) and I don't think that many people had heard them. It was great to meet Rémi and Delphine - they were so sweet! I think they were probably those of the foreign artist who hung out the most with us 'ordinary people'. They told me they'd seen A Smile and a Ribbon in London, but had been to shy to say hello. Their band name is supposed to be ironic, but the sun actually peered out, as you can see.

Next on were Strawberry Fair and she had people from lots of other bands as backing musicians and vocalists. I've only heard a few of her old songs so I liked "I Can't Do Anything" best. David from The Morning Paper (who have just released their first single on Cloudberry) played drums and Alice from After-School Sports (and formerly The Never Invited to Parties!!) and Ida from The Bridal Shop were on backing vocals. After that was a band that many people were waiting to see. I had never seen Liechtenstein before either, so I could hardly wait. Liechtenstein is Renée from Fraction Discs own band, and she's joined by three other girls. It was obvious that they haven't played live much but it was all in keeping with the DIY, all-girl spirit of early 80's post-punk bands like Girls At Our Best!, Dolly Mixture and Mo-Dettes. The fact that they're the only band I've seen with two guitarists playing Squires pretty much proves my point. As I've only heard the songs on the 7" it was great to get a chance to hear new material. It all sounded good, but maybe one backbeat too many! Patrik (aka Ring Snuten!) was on next and it must have felt rather good for him to be at an indiepop festival without having to worry about the arrangement itself. As you probably know, he was one of the people behind the Liv festivals outside Kalmar. I've seen him play before, so I was not that excited but then suddenly he invited the former members of Dorotea up on the stage for a handful of songs, and the crowd went wild as the percentage of Gothenburgians at the festival was sizeable (and there's nothing more Gothenburg than Dorotea!)

You know who this is, don't you? Yes, that's Glenn Melia on the left and I can't believe I was actually there! Seeing St. Christopher live was pretty special and lots of other people must have felt the same, because by the time the boys came back on for the encore there was a proper mosh pit forming. And the fact that they ended on "All of a Tremble" didn't exactly calm things down... They played all the hits actually, and the biggest surprise was probably "It's Snowing On the Moon" - the b-side to Sarah 46. I had that in my Christmas podcast, if you remember. I talked to Glenn for a bit before the gig and he said he wasn't playing the song I had requested some months ago, because back then he was thinking of doing a solo set accompanied only by a drum machine. Now they were a three-piece so I guess they opted for the more bombastic material. And there aren't many bands who can boast an opening track like "Say Yes to Everything"! I wasn't too disappointed though, as I would have been in ectasy whichever songs they'd chosen to play. Glenn said they didn't have any new stuff, but he was going to write some new songs for upcoming releases on Plastilina and Cloudberry. An economical guy - he won't write songs until he has a confirmed release. I advised him to stay and watch the next band: Days. Just because St. Christopher was one of the bands they reminded me of when I first heard them. But then it started raining and you couldn't recognise anyone behind the umbrellas and the raincoats. It was also around this time that Dan Treacy first ventured outside the backstage area, and it was quite a shock to say the least. No one was really expecting the TVPs to come, and then before you know it Dan is standing there in his wollen cap, just a few yards away. I would have like to say something but there immediately formed a crowd of teenagers around him that seemed to follow him around for the rest of the festival. He was drunk and the kids seemed bloody annoying so I decided not to bother him any further. Anyways, Days came on and did a magnificent set full of gloriously sparkling pop. The rain was picking up but I don't think anyone cared. There were intermittent shouts from the audience along the lines of "sooo fucking good!" and "the best band in Sweden!". I'm glad people have finally understood. Days were at least as good as last time I saw them and they finished with an old song that has already reached legendary status (at least if you're a Signed Papercut!). I managed to squeee my camera in-between the umbrellas overhead and the hoods of raincoats in front, to capture the moment.

It felt like the climax of the first day was behind us, and there was no sign of clear skies. I stayed for a while though, to see Mikael who is The Honeydrips. His first album was finally released a few months back and it was a relief because some of the songs are three years old now. There are a few different kinds of Honeydrips gigs, this one turned out to be of the type where he played his one-string bass (which was not switched on) and sang over the backtrack. It was good enough though, and the new songs are really fab. You can get the album Here Comes the Future from Sincerely Yours, I think. After that I was thouroughly soaked and didn't really care for seeing The Tough Alliance. I mean, their new records are nice enough but their live shows still seem pointless. And I can't get past thinking of them as a pair of right toffs. Me and Nils-Martin went to dry up in his car instead. I ended up getting my shoes soaked instead however (the car park was in the marsh, remember?). Air France did some deejaying after that, I think, but I was spent and went back to the tent and fell asleep... eventually. Maybe that's why people drink so much? So they can then happily fall asleep in their tent (or someone elses).

To be continued. (Well, there was a second day you know.)

DROP 78

2007-07-13T23:39:00.001+01:00

Nothing can match the thrill of hearing a Mayfields song you hadn't heard before. But that seems to be a pleasure I won't experience again, as I've now heard all the songs listed on TweeNet. I still hope there are some more though. Eleven songs by one of the greatest bands ever is far too little. This song is just amazing, and as The Brogues put it, "I Don't Dream" is a thouroughly POP! song title! It was included on two different tape compilations from the early 90's - Everlasting Happiness and Out of the Blue. The latter also had "Rain-Bird" on it, but that's just a joke track really!

DROP 78

The Mayfields - I Don't Dream

DROP 77

2007-07-13T23:27:00.000+01:00

Here's another song from the Texas Flashbacks series, this one more a bit more psych pop. The guitar-playing reminds me somewhat of The Dovers, which can never be a bad thing! The Changing Times track is from volume four, also from 1986 I think. The mp3 tag says 'Changing Time' but on the cover there seems to be an 's' at the end. It sounds better as well. As I said before all the volumes were uploaded by Twilightzone!, so thank them!

DROP 77

Changing Times - Cry

I Wish I Hadn't Seen Her

2007-07-13T23:21:00.000+01:00

I'm standing here in a bird-watching tower on the skirts of the Brosjö marsh. It's the first day of the Rip It Up festival. We came yesterday. At 5 pm The Sunny Street will be the first band to take to the stage. St. Christopher is playing today as well. I don't see any birds. Maybe it's just the wrong season. Or maybe there's a reason all bird-watchers have binoculars. I had to get away. I don't like festivals, apart from the music. People's behaviour is just embarrassing. It's a beautiful day so I thought I'd go for a walk around the marsh that is just next to the festival site. There's no one here. It was peaceful and beautiful walking here. I'd brought The Outsider by Camus with and I'm going to sit down and read the second chapter soon. I swear the buttercups are more than a foot high (just look at the evidence). As I walked I could see the approaching borders of shadow and golden sunlight on the ground as the cotton clouds passed swiftly overhead. The wind changes direction, carrying swathes of Orange Juice blasting from the speakers on the stage. The people are just dots from here and the music is like an old transistor radio. It's too hot up here, I have to go down again. I've sat down at a picnic table and for a second I wish I wasn't alone. But only just. It feels strange sitting here in the middle of nature, while I'm at an indiepop festival. I guess everyone else is busy getting drunk. But then again indiepop has often been called pastoral, even if in a derogatory sense. At least Dave Callahan is a bird-watcher. I don't know where this is going so I'll stop now and continue after all the gigs. I'll tell you then if Glenn Melia played that song or not.

This picture was taken from the Cookie Nose Tower. You can just barely make out the festival area among the trees to the left.

No Dreams Last Night

2007-07-04T23:21:00.000+01:00

Just the day before The Clientele played I went to see Deerhoof at exactly the same venue. It was only 20 kr (£1.50) which is extremely cheap even for a weekday gig! I'd actually been to seem them just one week before that, at ABC2 in Glasgow. I went with Hannah and her friends and it was so good I had to see them again. I'd been out of touch with them since The Runners Four, but all the songs were great - the new ones too. It was a good turn-out at Debaser as well. At ABC they were supported by two band - their Californian friends in noise band Kit and some Canadians that called themselves Holy Fuck - both were great. Over here the slightly inferior locals in Talking to Teapots supported. They didn't impress me nearly as much as last time I saw them, three years ago. They've gone all Archers of Loaf since then, apparently, I didn't even know they were still around.

I stood right in front of Greg last week, so no wonder he recognised me when I went up to talk to him before the gig. We talked about this old live recording of their gig at the Emmaboda festival three years ago, and if I get round to uploading it I'll give you the link as well. We had a nice chat and I spoke briefly to Satomi too and they're all such lovely people! The setlist was pretty much the same as last week, apart from the encore, but I didn't mind as I hadn't listened to them for far too long before that anyway. The picture above is of Satomi last week, and here's Greg two days ago. I ended up standing right in front of him again, as you can see!

DROP 76

2007-07-04T23:07:00.001+01:00

So here is the song alluded to before. And just MAYBE, I will see Television Personalities on Saturday at Rip It Up. I put this song on my tape, for luck, but it will surely be a first if Dan manages to get his arse over to Sweden. This song is most easily found on Fashion Conscious (The Little Teddy Years) from 2002 - it was originally from a 1999 seven-inch. It's a great song, but first and foremost it was the lyric that caught me. As often in the TVP's case!

DROP 76

Television Personalities - The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming

Serious Drugs

2007-07-04T22:41:00.001+01:00

Who need drugs when we have The Clientele? Sometimes listening to them has a narcotic effect on me. The gig last night was no exception. I've been longing to see them for the whole time I've been in Glasgow and they rewarded me by playing at Debaser in Malmö just three days after I came here. I finally bought the new album, which I haven't seen in Monorail any of the THREE times I've been there to look for it. It really is such an amazing record - probably their best even. The gig took me from being on the verge of fainting (to "We Could Walk Together), to getting close to tears ("Saturday"), to nearly feeling my knees fold under me ("I Want You More Than Ever" and "Reflections After Jane"), to bouncing to the pop perfection of "Joseph Cornell" and "Since K Got Over Me", to getting my mind blown by the fuzz heaven that the eight-minute version of "Lamplight" was. They also played seven songs off God Save the Clientele and ended with a Television cover from Adventure. It was the best show I've seen for almost a year. I've seen them twice before and it seems as if it's better each time. And of course Mel played with them this time. I hadn't met her before (I met the others during an interview last year), but she was very nice indeed. I stayed around for a while afterwards and had some backstage beer. I talked with James about Chris Hillman and with Alasdair about Carnival. Cycling home afterwards in the rain seemed fitting, seeing as they're not uncommon subjects in Alasdair's songwriting ("Bicycles", "Rain" etc). The dizziness was starting to wear off then. Right after the gig I just stared blankly into thin air while trying to walk in a straight line. "If only we had a time machine, eh?"

DROP 75

2007-07-02T19:18:00.000+01:00

We all know the second Close Lobsters album is not as great as Foxheads Stalk This Land, but it does have a few pearls. Like this song, on which they almost do their Paisley background justice, if you know what I mean! They were actually from Paisley you know, unlike any of the so-called Paisley Underground bands. That was purely an American phenomenon - and mostly limited to California. Headache Rhetoric came out in 1989, and just like its predecessor it was recorded at The Royal Leamington Spa.

DROP 75

The Close Lobsters - Words On Power

SPLASH 32

2007-07-02T19:11:00.001+01:00

So this is the last one. It's meant more as a compilation that you can burn to cd, just like no. 8. There's not much to say really. Greg and Elizabeth from The Carousel are on the cover and the tracklist includes some old and new The Rain Fell Down favourites! Perhaps some explanation is needed for the more obscure tracks though. The Dovers one is from the 10" I've been raving about earlier, and the guy who wrote the liner notes says it's the song that captures the band's essence best - I think Brogues would concur. That double-time break is astounding! "So Many Times" is from a series of compilations called Texas Flashbacks, featuring 60's garage and psych groups from that state. "Poet" is a brilliant 1000 Violins b-side that was strangely not included on the singles compilation Like One Thousand Violins. "Rainin' In My Heart" is from The Crawdaddys' first album, which means 1979. I just included it because my first podcast was named after this song, although I didn't know I actually had a version of it on my computer! And finally I've included Belle & Sebastian because they will always remain my favourite band, and "Beautiful" is still their best song I think.

Here's the back cover with the tracklist, if you want to print it.

SPLASH 32
R... Is For Rain

DROP 74

2007-07-02T19:02:00.001+01:00

This band has got nothing to do with The Wind (Lane Steinberg's band pre-Wall of Orchids) that I've played before. This is a 60's garage group from Texas. I don't know anything about them, and the only reason I know they're from Texas is because this song is on a series of compilations called Texas Flashbacks, more precisely volume 4. The record came out in 1986 and the whole of it was originally posted on the brilliant Twilightzone! blog (along with the other five volumes).

DROP 74

Wind - Don't Take Your Love Away

No Matter Where You Are

2007-07-02T18:53:00.000+01:00

And before I knew it I'm back again! The last week in Glasgow was among the best, thanks to a certain person, so I'll miss it sorely. I watched Roman Holiday for the first time yesterday, and it really struck a chord. But I've got no time to worry, cause I've got gigs to go to! The Clientele haven't played Glasgow for years, but it seems they are still faithful to their Swedish fans. It's ironic how there's nothing much happening in Glasgow this week and here The Clientele are playing at Debaser (a new venue) tomorrow, and today I'm going to see Deerhoof. Again! I went to see them with Hannah and her friends in Glasgow exactly one week ago, and it was good enough to make me want to see them again.

When I got home Louis Philippe's new album was waiting in a parcel for me. I've listened to it a few times and it's one of the best records so far this year. Definitely one of his very best - quite comlex in orchestration, arrangement and concept. It's called An Unkown Spring and features Alasdair from The Clientele on some acoustic guitar. Alasdair and Mel also help out with some of the harmonies. I hope Louis comes over to play sometime too.

I'll put up the last podcast today, but I also have some stuff left to write about from last week so it's not over just yet! And I've got about ten more songs that I just HAVE to post. So if you were thinking about converting your computer into a cosy house for hamsters, I suggest you wait a while.

DROP 73

2007-06-28T22:25:00.000+01:00

Recently I've been more and more taken by the bands on the old Teatime label, that Indiepages had some songs from on their sounds page a while ago. The only bands I knew on it before where The Spinning Wheels and The Candy Darlings. I'd only heard about The Driscolls and Mousefolk, who actually started the label. Since then I've heard so many good songs, especially by The Dricolls, who were one of many indiepop bands at the time to take their cues from 60's garage. They even did a cover Fire's "Father's Name Was Dad", which is really good. The Driscolls released four singles between 1987 and 1990 and turned up on countless compilation tapes (13 according to twee.net!). One tape that isn't listed on TweeNet however is Kite - it's from 1989 and the tracklisting is:

The Driscolls - Call Me Anything
The Popguns - Don't Smile (live)
Big Red Bus - Another World
The Mayfields - All You Ever Say
Buy off the Bar - No Money For the Lavatory
The Candy Darlings - That's Where Caroline Lives
The Colgates - Before
The Haywains - Surfing in My Sleep (live)
Mousefolk - Fire Engine
Jane Pow - Why Am I Here?
Jerks - Waterskin
The Penny Candles - No Doubt
Great Scott - The Very Best Part
The Man from Delmonte - Casual Friends (live)
The Moneygods - Papa's Gonna Buy Me a CD Player
Nervous Curve - Your Idea of Heaven
St. Christopher - To the Mountain (live)
Crocodile Ride - Ride
Howl in the Typewriter - Melt
The Williams - Can I Walk in Your World
Rodney Allen - Victoria's Values
Wom - Hanging Man
Honeycrash - Smiling Behind Me
Millstones - Walking Stick Pub
Singing Curtains - While the Children Build Sandcastles I Can Sail & Windsurf
Dirty Stop-Outs - Trying So Hard
Margery Daws - Typical Day

DROP 73
The Driscolls - Call Me Anything

DROP 72

2007-06-25T18:21:00.000+01:00

The Garlands seem to have a record on its way finally. Someone said Cloudberry, but according to their MySpace site they've made a deal with Fridlyst that has previously released Agent Simple. This song is available for download from their MySpace page - it's more stripped down than "David" and "You Never Notice Me" with just Roger's guitar and Christin's voice, but it's every bit as good! Had I known my George Michael stuff better I would have recognized as one of his songs, but it took a Tom to point it out. The picture above is of uhm... Roger and his car.

DROP 72
The Garlands - Freedom

SPLASH 31

2007-06-25T16:33:00.001+01:00

Today it's a mix of new stuff and a few odds and ends that I wanted to get in before the final one, which you'll get next Monday. By then I should be safely back in Malmö again. The title of this podcast is from a Louis Philippe song that was on his first album Appointment With Venus. Fittingly, he turns up here with a track from his brilliant new album. The Sarah style cover picture is based on a photograph by Partick Camera Club, although I might have said before that I wasn't going to use any more of them.

The Wolfhounds – L.A. Juice
There's quite a bit of sixties-tinged music today, and we start off with "L.A. Juice" on which the influence of Nuggets and Pebbles lps becomes perhaps more apparent then anywhere else in The Wolfhounds' short career. It's from their debut ep Cut the Cake that came out on the influential Pink Label in 1985. I recently remembered how brilliant The Wolfhounds are, so this is why this is here as well.
Thee Headcoatees – All My Feelings Denied
This all-girl garage group evolved out of The Delmonas and is perhaps better known as the group Holly Golightly was in before launching a very successful solo career. This song is from their 1994 album Ballad of the Insolent Pup. Watch out for that amazing scream about mid-song. That's the true spirit of garage!
The Fallen Leaves - Repetition
A relatively new garage group based in London, that I discovered via Bus Stop's MySpace page. The members aren't exactly new to garage though. They run a club in London called The Parliament Club and even have a founding member of The Subway Sect in their line-up! They have a self-released 7"/cdep called Trouble that I bought directly from them. If you're interested you can contact them here.
The Cyrkle – Red Chair Fade Away
American psychpop group The Cyrkle had a hit in the late 60's with "Red Rubber Ball" then disappeared from the radar. But as many other obscure 60's groups they've been reappraised and since 1991 their output has been available on cd as part of Sony's Legacy Rock Artifacts Series. This song was originally by The Bee Gees, and it has also lent its name to Tim Vass' band after Razorcuts.
The Clientele – Nothing But Sunshine
The Clientele released their third album on Merge last month. It's called God Save the Clientele, and as usual it is a masterpiece. It also features the debut appearance of new keyboardist Mel Draisey. It was recorded in Nashville and produced by Mark Nevers who has previously worked with Will Oldham and Lambchop. The result of this new combination can be heard e.g. on the pedal steel equipped "Nothing But Sunshine".
Louis Philippe – Born Beautiful
Just as with Strange Geometry, the new Clientele album has string arrangements penned by Louis Philippe, who has been busy this year. Recently his collaboration with Stuart Moxham (ex-Young Marble Giants) resulted in album as Huddlehouse. He has also released a new solo album, that like the last one is released on his own label and was funded through subscription. It's definitely a return to his él Records roots and he describes it as his most orchestrated album for years. It reminds me of his first album, both in its complexity and simplicity.
Blueboy – Boy’s Don’t Matter
My tribute to Keith Girdler continues with songs from two of his previous bands. Only after his death have I finally heard the whole Blueboy catalogue, which is quite extensive. And impressive to say the least! Three albums all in all, and looking back now I can conclude that as suave as If Wishes Were Horses is, my favourite will have to be Unisex. A complete artistic statement in a way that no other record from his career became. This is song is from that album, released by Sarah in 1994.
Feverfew – Crimson Gloom
Before starting Blueboy, Paul and Keith played in this band. Two of their songs ended up on split with The Rileys on A Turntable Friend. It was dubbed The Happiness EP and came out in 1992, when they had already split up and Blueboy was well on their way to stardom. At the time of Feverfew's existence though, a handful of songs turned up on compilations and "Crimson Gloom" from the Corrupt Postman tape is the best I've heard from them.
Twig – At Work and At Home
Eventually Twig's first single has seen the light of day. This band from Stockholm have been active off and on for many years, producing only a few demos. I first heard them in 2004 and fell in love with "Find Me". They got played on Swedish radio and were described as a cross between The Wake and Orange Juice. And I have to say that is the most well-founded description of that kind I have heard! The "Life In a Swedish Town" single is available from Cloudberry, but I can't wait for the release of this opus of a pop song.
California Snow Story – A New Light to Guide You
I've already told you how much I love Close to the Ocean but if you're still not convinced, just listen to this song from the new album. It was my favourite already when I heard it live last year.
The Hi-Life Companion – You’re the Greatest
The Hi-Life Companion's first album should be out sometime this year and should include this song. It is the best I've heard from the band so far and it was on a sampler called Say Yes! they were nice enough to send me. The Rain Fell Down wishes them all best for their future career!
The Pocketbooks – Not Going Out
London's darlings The Pocketbooks have been headed for a place in the hearts of pop fans ever since the inclusion of "First World Record" on Ian Watson's Kids At the Club compilation. This song is from their first single, released by Atomic Beat - newly started by the lovely Marianthi. You can get the 7" from their website, and should also take the opportunity of grabbing a copy of the Pete Green single.
Wake the President – Sorrows For Clothes
Glasgow boys Wake the President's first single is truly a double a-side, and it took a while to figure out that this is the actual 'first' song. It came out on Electric Honey - legendary for releasing Belle & Sebastian's first album - and it's a prestigious title to chosen as their band of the year. Wake the President definitely live up to expectations though, and manage to simultaneously be at the centre of Glasgow's indiepop scene and wallow in their influences from 80's Scotspop acts like Remember Fun.
The Hardy Boys – Wonderful Lie
...or The Hardy Boys. This obscure Scottish group released one single in the late 80's and this is it. And what a wonderful single! They've recently reformed and Erik and Bjorn from Wake the President were quick to book them some gigs in August. According to the new MySpace page there is a retrospective cd in the works, although it doesn't say on what label.
Bubblegum Lemonade – 10 Years Younger
Laz continues going from triumph to triumph. The new Strawberry Whiplash tune "Summershine" (that you can listen to here) is an instant classic that wouldn't be dwarfed next to The Sea Urchins' song with the same name and other 'summershine' songs like Bulldozer Crash's "Sarah Said". Equally "10 Years Younger" is a flawless addition to the Bubblegum Lemonade catalogue. Now all we need are a couple singles! And something tells me it might happen soon.
The Thanes – World of Stone
This is the best garage revival group from Scotland. They started out as The Green Telescope, which is a much better name if you ask me, releasing two seven-inches. Since then they've recorded countless albums, but a good introduction might be the Evolver compilation from 2004. This song is on it, and someone said it sounded like "Simple Things" by Belle & Sebastian!
Thee Milkshakes – The Best Things In Life
Another Billy Childish band. This is from Thee Milkshakes' album They Came They Saw They Conquered that came out on Pink Dust in 1984.
Shawn Robinson – My Dear Heart
The week's northern soul tune is a recent favourite, that I had the pleasure of dancing to at the Function club in Sweden. One of the places you can find it is on the second volume of Stateside's Talcum Soul compilations.
The Leaves – Words
The early stage of The Turtles, and they've been credited with cutting the first version of "Hey Joe" that became most famous in Jimi Hendrix's rendition. This song is from the album Hey Joe that came out in the US in 1966 - two other songs from it is on the Nuggets box.
The Knickerbockers – I Can Do It Better
The Knickerbockers' first album goes for big money on eBay, I've read. But it's nowhere as good as the second one, called Lies, that apart from that staple of garage rock that the title-track is (also on Nuggets) also includes this slightly more psychedelic song.

SPLASH 31
Heaven Is Above Your Head

DROP 71

2007-06-24T16:33:00.000+01:00

Caretaker Race is a band I've been intrigued by recently. I'd only heard "I Wish I'd Said That", but now finally I've had the pleasure of hearing the rest of their only album Hangover Square that came out in 1990. Caretaker Race was one of the bands formed in the wake of The Loft's break-up, and this one was Andy Strickland's project. He's my favourite member of The Loft as he was the guy who played the Byrds style lead guitar. So no wonder I like Caretaker Race better than The Weather Prophets or The Wishing Stones. The album is not all as great as that that song due some all too common overproduction, but it's got its high points. The one I've chosen for this post is the closing track "Man Overboard", that had also come out as a single earlier that year. The whole album sounds quite inspired by Grant's contributions to the Go-Betweens songbook, and this is no exception. As a side note one of the b-sides to the single is called "Grey Gardens", which I'm dying to hear after having seen the film by the Maysles brothers (that is also Roxanne Clifford's choice for the next Monorail Film Club by the way). Incidentally Hangover Square was a film too, directed by John Brahm in 1945. There's plenty of more information about the band here.

DROP 71
Caretaker Race - Man Overboard

Bright Pavilions

2007-06-21T11:11:00.001+01:00

Summer is the season of mixtaping, and making tapes for pop festivals are especially important. I've already compiled my tape for the Rip It Up festival, although I haven't recorded it yet. It looks really promising - and it's only two weeks now until I get to see St. Christopher play live! I really must buy my ticket soon. If you want to hear it I suggest you come along. TVPs are with all probability NOT coming, but it'll be great anyway!

SIDE A
The Dovers – People Ask Me Why
The Orange Peels – Everybody’s Gone (demo)
The Rain – Saint Martin’s-In-the-Fields
The Byrds – Have You Seen Her Face
Primal Scream – It Happens
Biff Bang Pow! – The Happiest Girl In the World
St. Christopher – Gabriel
Blueboy – Always There
The Pines – Baby You’ll Do
Brittle Stars – Souvenir
Love Dance – Unsympathetic Ways
Fat Tulips – Girl That You Once Knew
Sportique – If You Ever Change Your Mind
The Squires – Go Ahead
The Rainyard – 1,000 Years
The Choo Choo Train – Parasol

SIDE B
Happydeadmen – Science Fiction
Holidaymakers – Cincinatti
Bulldozer Crash – Sarah Said
Brighter – Don’t Remember
Razorcuts – Snowbound
The Sea Urchins – Day Into Day
The Poets – I’ll Come Home
The Thanes – Girls
The Claim – Hopeless
Television Personalities – The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Dreaming
Reserve – Postcard From Paradise (slow version)
Johnny Johnson – Cripple Me
Popguns – I’m Spoiling Everything
The Velvet Crush – Circling the Sun
Paulie Chastain – Raining All Day

Name That (Old, Obscure Indiepop) Tune

2007-06-19T01:46:00.001+01:00

Here's a competition of sorts. Although there's no real prize, except for getting the songs. But it would be a boost to your indie credibility if you get them all right (if you're sad enough to care about that). See, a devout reader of this very blog sent me a compilation that he didn't know the tracklisting for. He thought I could help and I've got tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11 and 17 pinned but the other remain unknown. Take a listen to this, and post your contribution in the comments. I've posted on the ones I know, so don't look if you don't want your fun spoilt!

EDIT: Well, that was quick! Jessel actually identified this as a compilation HE had made years ago. He's posted the tracklist in the comments.

DROP 70

2007-06-19T00:04:00.000+01:00

Here's a song by the band that turned into 1000 Violins. The Page Boys had one 7" on Whaam! in 1983 called "You're My Kind of Girl", this is the b-side. Wally from The Beautiful Music called it electromod, but judge for yourselves. You can find this song on the Whaam! compilation that Vinyl Japan put out years ago. At least it might be easier to find than the original single! Couldn't find any proper pictures, so you'll have make do with this one snatched from eBay.

DROP 60
The Page Boys - In Love With You

SPLASH 30

2007-06-18T23:40:00.001+01:00

Only two left now... Today it's a podcast on Australia and New Zealand. These countries have produced some great groups through the years, though there haven't been that many new bands lately. The Zebras is one exception of course. Both Australia and New Zealand were very important for pop music in the 80's and produced respectively the Brisbane sound and the Dunedin sound. The former is represented here by bands like The Go-Betweens and The Lighthouse Keepers and the latter by Sneaky Feelings and The Bats. The two labels of note here are Australian Waterfront (which, like Rough Trade, was also a record shop) and Flying Nun (which was modelled on Rough Trade amongst others) in New Zealand of course.

The Tender Engines – Clinging to the Wreckage
This was one of the bands that made the Summershine label so great. It's one of my favourite labels and just like Bus Stop and A Turntable Friend it should be placed right up there with Sarah Records. This song, from 1990, was the group's first single and the second to be released by Summershine.
Even As We Speak – Stay With Me
This is from a Peel Session they did during their first trip to the UK, to promote the release of their album Feral Pop Frenzy in 1992. It never appeared on record, I think. Peel was a big fan of the band and they managed to record four songs, borrowing equipment from other Sarah bands. Jim Kavanaugh, ever the fan of ozpop, has a compilation of the band's pre-Sarah singles scheduled for release on his Egg Records sometime this year.
The Masters Apprentices – War Or Hands of Time
Australia produced quite a few good beat and garage groups in the sixties, as the second Nuggets box proves. This group was perhaps the most successful in their apprenticeship to the masters of fuzz on the other side of the world. This song is from 1966.
The Sugargliders – Tightening Our Belts
This is a demo that I got from Olaf, so I don't know where it came from apart from that. A google search turned up dry - maybe he can enlighten us?
The Apartments – Help
Australia was pretty big when it came to powerpop and garage revival as well, as any readers of Sideroom 7" Singles should have learned. This song I found on Beat For Two though, and it's a 1979 single.
The Sunnyboys – Alone With You
Probably the best Australian revival band? This is the 7" version that came out on Phantom in 1980.
The Lighthouse Keepers – Wheels Over the Desert
Here's another Australian band from whom we're also eagerly awaiting an Egg compilation. I still only have the band's first album Tales of the Unexpected from 1984, but judging from "Springtime" that was on the latest Egg sampler there are some great stuff lurking in the vaults. This is the opening track from the album, and one of the best on it.
Widdershins – Now You Know
As the The Lighthouse Keepers turned into the Widdershins after 1986, they may have lost an amazing bassist, but the music also became increasingly jangly in a Smiths kind of way. And Juliet Ward's voice had never sounded better! This song is included on the Egg retrospective Good Songs, which in fact includes everything the band ever recorded. It originally came out on a Waterfront 7" twenty years ago.
The Orange – What's In a Name?
This song was part of Jim Kavanaugh's Australian extravaganza on Indie MP3 a few years ago, if you remember that. He said himself that this was the most obscure contribution, and there is very little information about this band. Apart from the fact that it's from a Flying Nun 12" released in 1986 there's not much else. There's another release listed in the Flying Nun catalogue, but there are doubts as to whether it actually exists.
The Easybeats – Sorry
Thee Australian freakbeat group! They moved to London in 1966 and became the first Australian band to score a big international hit, with "Friday On My Mind" in 1966. But this single from the same year, which is included on Nuggets II together with "Friday On My Mind" has at least as much hit potential if you ask me. They where definitely the Beatles of Australia and created an 'Easyfever' that could even rival Beatlemania.
The La De Das – How Is the Air Up There?
This band was The Rolling Stones of New Zealand then. The song is a Blues Magoos cover and was their first single with proper distribution. It made them the biggest pop group in New Zealand, which they remained until moving to Australia in 1967.
The Smoke – No More Now
Another New Zealand garage group, that like The La De Das, The Chants R&B and The Bluestars (on SPLASH 22) is included on Nuggets II. But this one might be my favourite, with its psychedelic guitar parts and overdriven bass. That's probably a result of it coming out one year after e.g. "Friday On My Mind", which means in 1967 when psychedelia hit full on. They're not to be confused with the seminal Britsh group with the same name.
Sneaky Feelings - Pity's Sake
The birth of Flying Nun was a response the growing scene in Dunedin and Christchurch. The centre of this scene was The Clean, although everybody played in each other's bands. There's a quite comprehensive study of the Dunedin sound on the excellent In Love With These Times. After the original bands like Toy Love and The Clean split up, several new bands were formed and four of them ended up on the Dunedin Double EP from 1982: The Chills, The Stones, The Verlaines, and Sneaky Feelings. Each band had one side, and this is the first on Sneaky Feelings' side.
The Bats – Boogey Man
The Bats were formed by Robert Scott, the bassist of The Clean, after they split up. They're my favourite band on Flying Nun alongside The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience. This is a jangly single from 1991, that was also included on their third album Fear of God.
The Go-Betweens – Eight Pictures
What can you say? The most important band from Australia, right up until last year saw the end of the reformed duo of Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. Nothing short of death could stop them. This is one my favourites, and it's from their first album Send Me a Lullaby. It was also the first Go-Between's album I heard, after buying it at a record fair in the nearby town when I was at a festival in Sweden. I brought it all the way back home, put in on the record player and was overtaken by the fractured pop songs coming at me from the speakers. I quickly learned to love it, especially "Eight Pictures" and "It Could Be Anyone".
The Cat's Miaow – Smitten
This band has been a relatively new discovery for me, but when I finally got around to buying those two Library compilations I realised that this is one of my favourite bands ever. The Cat's Miaow was the best of the many indiepop bands in Australia in the early 90's - like Hyroplane and Huon e.g. You can get this song on Songs For Girls to Sing from 2003.
The Lucksmiths – Don't Bring Your Work to Bed
This was probably the first Australian indiepop band I discovered though, around the time Why That Doesn't Surprise Me. I remember they were actually on tv in Sweden, on the music programme Musikbyrån. I went to see them live in Malmö at the wonderful Young Alive and In Love club, although I was probably under-age! But it was the best show I'd ever been to at the time. I even wrote a song about it. Every song on that album is a favourite and I can't resist singing along every time I put it on, but anyway, this is one of them.
Girl of the World – 3000 ft.
Bart Cummings was one of the founders of The Cat's Miaow in 1992, but he'd been in other bands previously. For example Girl of the World, and this is the b-side of their third single.
Ups & Downs – I Wonder
Another classic Waterfront release was the Ups & Downs' "In the Shadows" from 1986. But the b-side is simply unbelievable! To the band's credibility, their name comes from a Flamin' Groovies song, and they even had the honour of supporting them on their 1986 tour. I'll let this song end today's podcast.

SPLASH 30
Kaleidoscope Worlds Away

DROP 69

2007-06-18T18:53:00.001+01:00

I only have two weeks left here so I'll try to cram in the last DROPs that I've been planning. Here's a track from the sadly forgotten mod pop group The Direct Hits that were signed to Dan Treacy's Whaam! label in the early 80's. Colin Swan was previously in a band called The Exits, and Rev-Ola recently released a compilation with that band. But their music is reportedly more in the new wave style - I've not heard it but according to The Brogues it's not that great. After The Direct Hits Colin was in The Happy Breed and now has a band called The Cult 45s, in case you're interested... During their time together the Hits released one single and one album, that has since become legendary and are almost impossible to find. This song however, is from a Japanese compilation of outtakes and live recordings. It came out in 2004 and is called Modesty Blaise! - I think it's a bootleg. There's also another similar cd of what was supposed to be their second album. "Ordinary Girl" is a great example of their very classic pop songwriting.

DROP 69
The Direct Hits - Ordinary Girl

SPLASH 29

2007-06-11T21:13:00.000+01:00

Just a podcast this time. Most of the songs today are by bands from Asia and other faraway places. And some new stuff from closer to home as well, including Trembling Blue Stars. The programme today is called Riding On the Equator, which is probably my favourite Felt composition. Several of the songs here are from a compilation called Peachy Little Secrets, released by Singaporean label Fruit Records last year. This programme is dedicated to them!

The Oddfellows – Unity Song
The oldest song by far on the Peachy Little Secrets comp is by The Oddfellows from Singapore. They formed in 1988 and must have been something like Singapore's Happydeadmen. From the sound it, this song ought to be an indiepop classic in Asia.
Annemarie – Bubblegum I See
One of the best albums so far this year comes from Indonesia and Annemarie, via the Music Is My Girlfriend and Plastilina labels. Annemarie's name is a tribute to Anne-Marie from The Field Mice, but the record sounds more like Swedish pop by the likes of The Cardigans and Acid House Kings. This song has one of the most well-placed ba-ba-ba's I've ever heard!
Fibi Frap – Catherine
Our Swedish band of the week does not have any equatorial connections, and in fact comes from north of the polar circle. It's a duo consisting of Madelaine and Sarah and they've released three eps on labels like the now defunct My Secret Garden. This song is from How Fast Is Your Heart Beating?.
Trembling Blue Stars – The Tenth of Always
Undeniably one of their strongest releases to date, I'm sure The Last Holy Writer didn't let anyone down. Skatterbrain has already posted "Idyllwild" and raved about how it's one of best songs of the year. I agree, but I like this one just as much. It's calmer, and more reminiscent of The Occasional Keepers album and, maybe even Her Handwriting.
Mocca – I Would Never...
As I said earlier Mocca from Indonesia have just released their third album, but here is a song from the Fruit comp (taken from the Friends album). Fruit have indeed made their name from the release of Mocca's first album, called My Diary, in 2004. This song features Karolina from Club 8 on guest vocals - she comes in somewhere in the middle, but you'll notice, it's impossible to mistake that voice!
Purplepaige – Suzie On Monday Morning
Here's one of many bands I got introduced to through the Fruit comp. They're from the label's home country and have released two singles so far. Go to their MySpace to hear some more songs! And if you want to hear even more songs, go to their SECOND MySpace page, which you'll find linked there.
Pale Sunday – Just Friends
Here's the promised Brazilian song. Pale Sunday and Postal Blue are pretty much the only Brazilian bands I know. Do you know any more? Pale Sunday have released one ep (A Weekend With Jane) and one album (Summertime?) on Matinée as well contributing tracks to their compilations. "Just Friends" is a Gregory Webster original from 2003's Matinée 50 compilation, on which the Matinée bands cover each other's material.
Lollipop Sonic – Exotic Lollipop
Lollipop Sonic was the first band Japanese Keigo Oyamada (aka Cornelius) started. He was only in junior high then, and later went on to form Flipper's Guitar as well as founding the influential Trattoria label. I've got this song on Accident Records' reissue of the Hoopla compilation.
The Delmonas – I Feel Like Giving In
One of Billy Childish's girl bands, later turned into Thee Headcoatees. I think Billy wrote their songs because I have one song recorded by both Thee Headcoats and Thee Headcoatees. But either way, each member went on to projects of their own afterwards and Holly Golightly has turned out to be the most prolific. And no, they don't normally sing in French.
The Draytones - Time
Fresh-faced garage group The Draytones are from London, but their singer is of Argentinean origin. That's not why they're here though - it's because their debut ep Keep Loving Me is a cracker.
Garnet Mimms – As Long As I Have You
Maybe I should have had a 'Southern Soul song of the week' instead? But why, when we can dig the northern stomp of this Garnet Mimms classic?
Los Shakers – Break It All
Nuggets II has a handful of songs from South American garage groups and Los Shakers were Uruguay's answer to The Beatles. Apparently there was something of a Uruguayan Invasion in Argentina, with several Montevideo bands rising in popularity there. This was Los Shakers their first single and came out in 1965.
My Writes – Love In the 60’s
Another Singapore band on Peachy Little Secrets. They have one ep out since last year and a MySpace page here.
The Pancakes – I Know
The legendary Hong-Kong artist Dejay has been making music as The Pancakes since 2000 and supports herself by making music for tv commercials and films. Her synthesizer-based music is as cute as her voice, and she's got a charming website over here. This song is from her second album Pancakes Can Panic that came out only seven months after her first live performance!
The Marshmallow Kisses – Everyone Is Ahead, Far Ahead
This band is also from Hong-Kong and the song was on the Fruit comp as well. It's from an ep called I Wonder Why My Favorite Boy Leaves Me an EP, that seems to be from 2004 according their website. But according to their MySpace they are now in London!
Carnival Park – Candy Coated Kisses
An old indiepop band from the Philippines, where the indiepop scene seems now to have disintegrated. This song is from Shelflife's covers compilation You're Still Young At Heart that came out the same year as Matinée's. Carnival Park take on that staple of tweepop that is The Autocollants' "Candy Coated Kisses". Their only release is otherwise the sold-out ep Her Kinder Crush.
Apple Orchard – Half-Steps Toward Bright Skies
Brothers Ryan and Dale used to live in the Philippines and have played in several of that country's indiepop bands. But they moved to California years ago and have been making music as Apple Orchard for at least as long. At long last, their first album will soon be ready - the last I heard they were just about to send it off to the pressing plant.
Ferns – Wistful Thinking
The latest release on Fruit is the debut album from Malaysia's Ferns. One of the tracks has been featured here before, but here is another of my favourites.

SPLASH 29
Riding On the Equator

DROP 68

2007-06-06T14:46:00.000+01:00

Here's one of several great tunes you can find on Spirophone.com. The Fauves were from Scotland and included Dan Vallely and Grant Morrison of The Mixers. Their only release was a 1988 single called "Tortured Soul" on their own label. But obviously they had more recordings, as the song they've put up was not on that single. When Dan left the band he was briefly replaced by Ulric (also in The Mixers, and now The Catalysts) who had just left The Golden Dawn. Go their website to listen to all of their other related bands!

DROP 68

The Fauves - Hello Cruel World

SPLASH 28

2007-06-04T15:07:00.001+01:00

So, here it is - the last The Rain Fell Down programme to be broadcast from Subcity and the tiny studio in the John McIntyre building. The name today comes from a song by Television Personalities, and fittingly the woman in the picture is Emma Peel from the British 60's tv series The Avengers. If you like the track by The Local heroes, which you OUGHT to, you can go here and read about how to get a copy of their cd. Next Monday there will be an mp3 mix for you to download though! This file starts with the Groove Farm track, unfortunately, so if you're a huge Jasmine Minks fan you'll have to listen to the end of this.

The Jasmine Minks – What’s Happening
The Groove Farm – God’s Tears
The Exotics – Come With Me
The Pandoras – It Just Ain’t True
Little Anthony & the Imperials – Gonna Fix You Good (Every Time You're Bad)
The Buff Medways – Troubled Mind
The Tyde – Crystal Canyons
Cats On Fire – Mesmer and Reason
Love Dance – Perfect Friendship
The Wild Swans – Mythical Beast
The Direct Hits – Ever Ready Plaything
Tibi Lubin – Romany Rye
Belmondo – Grey-Eyed Lie
BMX Bandits – Girl At the Bus Stop
Slow Club – Sunday
The Margarets – Countryside
The Local Heroes – Hands In the Air
Brittle Stars – Four Words
The Visitors – Never Has, Never Will

SPLASH 28
The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming

Why Butcher Boy Likes Babies

2007-06-03T19:27:00.000+01:00

As I was walking home a ragged troubadour on Ashton Lane was playing "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter" by Black Sabbath. Butcher Boy have a new song called "Why I Like Babies", but I assure you, there's nothing sinister about whatsoever. It's completely innocent, so I don't think it will be material for the street troubadours of the 2030's. Yes, I was walking home from John Hunt's flat where Butcher Boy had spent the whole day recording songs for a new ep. And when I left John and Garry were still at it. They're innocents, but most of all professionals. They're not young. Basil was saying he's really too old to be doing this. Christ, he's buying a house with eight bedrooms. But that doesn't matter. They're doing it because they need to. John Hunt started writing songs in 1998. He didn't have a band, but he felt the urge. "He's a true artist" Basil said, and listening to the lyrics to their first album Profit In Your Poetry, it's obvious he's got something to say. "I'm far too old. I'm far too cold. I don't want any trouble I just want to find my way home." Would you have written that? Butcher Boy is about Glasgow to a large extent. John was saying how he felt more at home on the South Side. And that's something only a true Glaswegian would say. He's moving back there soon, which means he's giving up his gorgeous flat on Woodside Terrace. I mean, it's fifteen feet from floor to ceiling and the living room is just huge. Yes, I was walking home from there, along Park Terrace which is just above it and my favourite street in Glasgow, down through Kelvingrove Park and the descending dusk. I love the light in the West End at night. And I knew then that this post was going to be as much about Glasgow as it is about Butcher Boy. I'm been living here for nine months now and I can't believe I'm leaving in just another month. I'm going to miss the foxes. No, frankly there are too many things to mention that I'm going to miss. I've been thinking about Glasgow quite a bit lately. Because I did come here in part because of the Glasgow I had an image of through songs and stuff I've read. My favourite music video is Belle & Sebastian's "Dog On Wheels". It's just Stuart strolling down Byres Road, wearing his hat (though I've learned he's got several that all look they same). But it's hard to imagine Glasgow as it might have been for him in 1995. Or for James Kirk in 1980 for that matter. The Glasgow that "Just a Modern Rock Song" is about. "Le pastie de la bourgeoisie" was sprayed on the wall of Gregg's just round the corner from where I live. And I've seen Stuart strolling down Byres Road too. But he said "hi" to me. He didn't do that in the "Dog On Wheels" video. But I've learned enough from him trough the years, anyway. Alistair Fitchett said he thought the old Glasgow was forever vanished. He might be right. I love Glasgow, but it's not like in a song. Not until I heard Butcher Boy. What I like about Butcher Boy is that they don't sound like you'd expect them to sound. Just like Glasgow isn't what I expected. They are a pop band in every sense of the word. But the melodies sound as timeless as old Scottish folk songs. And they use instruments like cello, viola, autoharp, accordion, mandolin and Spanish guitar. John's voice is simply unique. So, why was I walking home from John's just half an hour ago? Or why was I there in the first place? I was surprised, and very happily so, last week when Basil sent me an email asking if I'd like to come along to a rehearsal on Thursday and the recording session on Saturday. I said yes of course. That's not an opportunity you would pass up. Just think what a privilege it would have been to hang out with Belle & Sebastian when they recorded the Lazy Line Painter Jane EP. Because I do think Butcher Boy have the same potential. They wanted me to take same pictures and write something about the whole thing later on. I guess they wanted to document the life of Butcher Boy. Well, I've definitely got a good idea of what they're about now. Cause their people as well of course, and some of the nicest I've met. A band is so much more that the records they make and the gigs they do. And they chose me, because hopefully someone might read about them. I don't know about that, but at least You are reading. The rehearsal on the Thursday was not as planned because only John, Basil and Findlay could make it. But it was good to see the Berkely Annex from the inside, and especially the rehearsal rooms themselves. It was very clean, spartan and professional and apparently all the 'real' bands rehearse there. They worked through some of the songs that will be on the next album, mainly trying to get the drum parts right. It was interesting to see how determined John was about the arrangements. He obviously had a really clear vision of how he wanted each song to sound. He would record quite elaborate demos of the songs before he'd let the others hear and practise them. And they happily oblige to his wishes, cause after all it's his dreams they're fulfilling. Findlay is the drummer, he lives and works in England but had come up for the rehearsals and the recordings. He's really one of the most good-humoured people I've met. And Basil is just as humble as John is. He's played in bands and made music on his own since the 80's. He might not be a 'real guitarist' and he might be self-taught, but he can play that guitar better that I can ever hope to. I was quite surprised to hear that the guitar he's using it still pretty much his first guitar. And then today I went round to John's flat at around 3 pm and the recording was already well under way. They were planning to record new and quite different sounding acoustic versions of three album tracks and two new songs called "Eighteenth Emergency" and "React or Die". To be released hopefully as an ep by How Does It Feel to Be Loved? this year. The takes that I heard take shape indeed sound very different from the ones on the album. They benefited hugely from the acoustics of Johns spacious living room. The album was all recorded at the legendary CaVa studio, which is not very far from where he lives. But these songs where recorded onto an 8-track porta, totally acoustic and clean, without any effects. Garry was handling the recording, and as an aspiring Phil Spector disciple he was very pleased with what they had accomplished today. He also plays bass guitar of course. Alison (who together with Garry make up the wonderful All My Friends) is the band's multi-instrumentalist, if you will. Today she played piano, accordion and did some harmonies. And then there's Maya who's joined recently as their cellist. She seemed very competent but didn't mind just sitting around for several hours until it was her turn to be recorded. And she'd done a beautiful cello arrangement for one of the new songs. In contrast, Aoife turned up last, recorded her viola parts and then headed off again. That's efficiency if I ever saw it. And we all got to stomp along to intro of "There Is No One Who Can Tell You Where You've Been", including me. But I think that part might not be included in the final mix. It was great to see John's flat before he moves out, and I'm glad the band got to do a recording in there as well. Look out for the ep, because the sound will be great I tell you. And it was all captured with a small photo shoot on the stairs to the house. Maybe it will be a site for future indie pilgrimage? I'm very thankful for being invited, and I hope I can return the favour one day. The last thing I heard before I left was John recording his vocal for "React Or Die". That's another thing I like about Butcher Boy... they recognise the importance of decent song titles. I think I read somewhere that The Long Blondes want all their song titles to sound like old film noirs. Butcher Boy's song titles sound like novels. And that's what I think you should aim for. At least Belle & Sebastian did. But no one but John would write a song called "Why I Like Babies". What IS that song about then? Well, you'll find out when the next album arrives.

A small photo reportage:

Basil plays the guitar.

Half of Butcher Boy rehearse at the Berkely Annex.

Woodside Terrace, Glasgow 2007.

17 Woodside Terrace.

Butcher Boy recording in John's flat.

Garry listening to the sound of guitars.

Maya warming up for recording her cello parts.

Garry and Aoife checking the levels for the voila.

John sings in the darkness.

A small video:

DROP 67

2007-06-03T19:04:00.000+01:00

The compilation of Allen Clapp's early singles and a few 'rarities' was released by Bus Stop not long ago, under the name Something Strange Happens, which is also the name of one of his best loved songs. And he's playing with his band The Orange Peels at the NYC Popfest soon. Allen Clapp & His Orchestra became The Orange Peels sometime in the mid-90's and released their first album Square on Minty Fresh. However, they had done some extensive demoing of the songs on 4-track before that and this is a home recorded version "Everybody's Gone". I've now heard the original (thanks to The Brogues!) and this version is very different, played as if it was a matter of life or death. A perfect pop song from start to finish. I found this demo in the latest podcast on The Orange Peels fine website. The podcast includes all the demos from Square and you should also check out the two previous ones that form a narrated history of the band.

DROP 67

The Orange Peels - Everybody's Gone (demo)

DROP 66

2007-06-03T18:48:00.000+01:00

Here is a beautiful song from BMX Bandits' Little Hands EP that came out on Creation in 1993. Like they say it is an old song - it's an acoustic version of the same song on C86, their first album. It's one of the best BMX Bandits songs I've heard. So simple, but I think it's the acoustic 12-string that does it.

DROP 66
The BMX Bandits - But Tonight

I Need a Window to See You Through

2007-05-30T23:19:00.000+01:00

I feel I need to say something about California Snow Story's album Close to the Ocean, because unlike the Trembling Blue Stars album - that Everyone was waiting for - this one might have slipped you by. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes the things you discover by chance are the ones that stay with you. I called The Last Holy Writer one of the best records this year earlier, but somehow I feel more strongly about Close to the Ocean. It might even be the year's best album so far, if it hadn't been for that darn Love Dance album. Maybe it's just because I met David and got a chance to see them play live, which I doubt will happen again for a long time with David living in Japan now. I feel very fortunate about that. California Snow Story is a very old band actually, but their only release up until now was the One Good Summer EP, a Shelflife classic from 2002. I played "Summer Avenues" from that on the radio on Monday. The new California Snow Story is quite a different band however. It's still David Skirving of course, but now joined by Spanish singer Sandra Belda Martinez who used to be in a band called Superété. The album showcases some brilliant songwriting and "A New Light to Guide You" is still my favourite with its exquisite guitar solo topped by a sparkling xylophone. But already from the opening "Begin Again" you are lulled into dreamy state by David's soft, caressing voice that reminds me of Bobby Wratten but is still distincly his own. David's and Sandra's vocals blend perfectly on songs like "Brook Lune" and "Wishing Well" and Sandra sings some of the songs on her own, bringing a unique atmosphere to e.g. "Future Perfect". But if there is something that strikes you about this record it's the arrangements and the production. It's one of a few albums that seem to me as if every single sound is discernable, justified and placed exactly where it is for a reason. Other albums I feel that way about are The Young Tradition's Northern Drive, Language of Flowers' Songs About You, The Clientele's Strange Geometry and Belle & Sebastian's Fold Your Hands Child You Walk Like a Peasant. Is there a connection? Well, they were all in the top of my end-of-year lists. And it's not a bad company to be in!

I've been waiting anxiously for this album since January, when it was originally set for release. Letterbox who have put it out have connections to Shelflife I'm told (maybe they've inherited their "celerity"?) and looks to be a very promising venture after this their second release, which comes with the most beautiful cover of the year. The first Letterbox release was the latest album by The Arrogants, who I have reappraised lately after finding out their singer is Jana previously of Majestic 12! Future releases include a new album by French duo Watoo Watoo, which will be great judging from "Perdu" that you can download from the Letterbox website. Go download, purchase, cherish, eulogize and remember.

DROP 65

2007-05-30T18:42:00.000+01:00

The Mixers is a legendary Glasgow beat/powerpop group that formed around 1980, when two of the members were just fifteen. Two of their songs were included on the Art For All and All For Art compilation on Whaam! and came out as a 7" on Vinyl Japan years later. The Mixers have an excellent Myspace page here, where you read more about their history and they've also been kind enough to put up some songs from their first demo. This is one of them, and it was recorded at the Glasgow studio CaVa which now seems to be the studio of choice for indiepop bands (Belle & Sebastian, Hefner, Camera Obscura and loads of other great bands have recorded there). There's also a website for their label Spirophone, where there's lots of stuff about all their related bands. Ulric currently has The Catalysts and Dannie has The Void.

DROP 65

The Mixers - You Know She Knows

DROP 64

2007-05-30T18:14:00.000+01:00

I was at National Pop League last week, I forgot to say. It was good and hotter than ever. John didn't play Horowitz though. To make up for it he's invited me to a Butcher Boy rehearsal on Thursday. Which is like... far out! Definitely a privilige, as they're one of the best Scottish bands in ages. But here's a song from Horowitz new single (a 3" cd like all Couldberry releases). Their claim to fame is that they have an ex-Rosehip in their line-up ...And they have written an indiepop anthem, that I played on the show a few weeks ago ...And they've also written this song about TC from Camera Obscura! Which is the band that Butcher Boy is the best Scottish band since, to tie it all together. I really look forward to seeing Horowitz live at Indietracks! This one is for John. And TC of course. And a golden star to the person who manages to make out the most Subway Organisation record sleeves in the picture!

DROP 64

Horowitz - Tracyanne

That's Hard When You're Living a Life of Dreams

2007-05-30T18:03:00.001+01:00

It does feel like a dream. Have I seen The Orchids live? Can't believe it. Well, this photograph must have come from somewhere! It must have been quite an experience, The Orchids being one of my favourite bands. Ever. Like seeing Felt play live. Of course I was too young to be there twenty years ago, but sometimes you get a second chance. And Keith sent me this setlist:

Obsession No. 1
Down to the Ocean
Thaumaturgy
Take My Hand
Welcome to My Curious Heart
Feel the Magic
You Could Do Something to Me
A Place Called Home
Moon Lullaby
The Last Thing (On Your Mind)
Beautiful Liar
Something For the Longing
Another Saturday Night

Peaches
Caveman

It was one of those dreams where you can't tell if it's reality or not. The band comes up on stage (a small square stage at one end of the basement at Maggie May's, just a few inches above the ground) to the sounds of "The Perfect Reprise. They look calm, old, but beautiful, and nervous. The first gig in their hometown for over a decade. But people remembered them - that basement was almost full. People are standing really close, on two sides of the stage. I'm almost in front of the speakers, and suffice to say the sound wasn't great, with people talking excitedly everywhere. Alistair Fitchett is there, back in Glasgow for the first time in a long while, and I can imagine a lot of other old friends are there too. I thought they were mostly going to play songs from the new album, but as they start playing I recognise "Obsession No. 1". James' voice is still magnificent, if not as strong maybe. But in a way "I hate your body, I hate your mind, you're so unkind" sounds even more haunting sung so softly. The new songs sound best on the whole, they have an urgency and as always when bands play live those are the songs they feel most passionately about. I was surprised at how good the new album Good to Be a Stranger is. I think it's because the key members are still there: singer and chief songwriter James Hackett and guitarist John Scally. Some of those songs jangle as delicately as "Apologies".

Then they play "Thaumaturgy", which means the ability to work miracles (usually possessed by saints) and is one of my favourite Orchids songs and one of the best Sarah singles ever. I can see why some people insist that The Orchids were always the best band on Sarah. The two songs that stand out during their set however, is the closing track from the new album "You Could Do Something to Me" with it's rolling guitar line and their perennial pop classic "Something For the Longing". We can all see the setlist, so when they go off stage we shout for "two more", and James says "ok, we'll do two more". And they were not any two songs, but probably their two most well-known songs: "Peaches" form their masterpiece Unholy Soul and "Caveman" from their first album, which I have trouble standing still to. Then it's over, before you know it, and only the balloons are left.

I'm going try my best to get them over to Sweden so I can share my dream with you. Until then you can put these songs into a playlist on your computer and listen to them while you're looking at this picture (don't even ask me about the image on the back wall!) and try to feel the magic. Just like I am doing now. I want a Perfect Reprise.

SPLASH 27

2007-05-28T15:09:00.000+01:00

A summer mixtape from me to you! I made this a long time ago to be honest, but here it is at last. And summer is as well. This is what I'll be listening to on the beach on a small tape recorder, when I get back to Sweden. This programme is also the last to feature a cover pic based on a Partick Camera Club photograph, so time to shed a tear.

The Beach Boys – Summer Means New Love

The Search Engines – Lost Summer Days

Aberdeen – Super Sunny Summer

The Chills – Double Summer

The Outsiders – I’ll See You In the Summertime

The Fuzz – I’m So Glad

The Cherry Orchard – That Summer Feeling

California Snow Story – Summer Avenues

Postal Blue – Summer Is What You Call It

The Tidy Ups – Summer Will Be Really Nice!

The Lil’ Hospital – Summer Reading

Brighter – Next Summer

Gentle Despite – Summer In Me

Strawberry Story – Midsummers Daydream

Friends – Every Summer

The Beathovens – Summer Sun

Three Berry Icecream – A Towering Cloud In the Summer

The Zombies – Summertime

SPLASH 27

Let's Get Away From It All

DROP 63

2007-05-23T13:27:00.000+01:00

Phew! Writing exams must be ergonomical suicide. My hand still hurts! Exams should be banned... or at least they could allow us to type them. Or maybe I just need to learn not to clasp the pen in despair! Incidentally, here's another death-themed one (chosen long ago). Malaysia's Ferns released one of the best albums of the year not long ago, on Fruit Records from Singapore who released Mocca's My Diary in 2002. (I just found out Mocca released a new album too, early this month, and three tracks are playing on their MySpace!) I really love Ferns' album On Botany although the sleeve is a bit too impractical (fake grass!). They remind me a lot of Majestic 12, and the singer sounds a bit like Scott's vocals on the Majestic records. I'm planning a radio programme with bands from Asia and other faraway places, and there will be more from Ferns. Thanks to Isman from Fruit who allowed me to post this. Cheers!

DROP 63

Ferns - Death of a Lifetime

DROP 62

2007-05-23T13:03:00.000+01:00

No more Snowdrops records, and no more Beaumont or Lovejoy records with Keith Girdlers sweet voice and heavenly guitar playing on them. Even for those of us who only knew Keith through his music, it is a terrible loss. This affected me as deeply as when I heard about Grant McLennans death last year. And I played a song by Lovejoy, on which he sang, on the radio only the day before yesterday! Unknowing that he had passed away. Naturally the next drop - let's make it a snowdrop - had to be a song by Blueboy, Keith's first band, and one of the very best indiepop bands ever. This song if from one of their singles for Sarah Records, called the Some Gorgeous Accident EP. I hope it will make you feel better.

SNOWDROP 62
Blueboy - Stephanie

DROP 61

2007-05-21T16:25:00.000+01:00

In 1993 The Anyways released their second single. It was called the Sunshine Down EP and came out on Marineville. It was followed by an album on the same label the next year, called Older Than Yesterday (kind of betrays their influences, wouldn't you say?). I still only have the single, so here is the first track on it for you. Two of the members later started The Relationships, but Richard Ramage is now the only Anyway left in that band.

DROP 61

The Anyways - Wish Away

SPLASH 26

2007-05-21T14:12:00.000+01:00

Whatever happened to Matinée's proposed singles club? I couldn't wait so I made a Matineé themed radio programme instead. The bulk of it of it is from 1997-2002 and I've tried to cover most of the bands and releases that haven't been played on the show before. If you haven't bought their latest single yet, the Hermit Crabs one, you know you ought to! That's Anna Karina in the picture, in case you hadn't noticed. I wonder if anyone has placed a bet on whether or not they'll reach one hundred? (You have to go to the end of this, to hear the first two songs, then there's apparently a gap until the file here starts, so I've uploaded the missing tracks here. It's not my fault, at least.)

Sweet William – A Map of the World (matinée 001)

Ego – Do You Want to Be My Love 'till 1998? (matinée 002)

Bella Vista – Nothing New (matinée 003)

Sportique – Obsessive (matinée 007)

The Lucksmiths – Paper Planes (matinée 008)

The Fairways – Darling, Don't You Think? (matinée 009)

Harper Lee – No Happy Ending (matinée 014)

Remember Fun – Car (matinée 015)

Melodie Group – Goodbye (matinée 020)

Slipslide – Firefly (matinée 023)

Lovejoy – Hug Me Honey (matinée 028)

Pipas – Troublesome (matinée 035)

The Windmills – Walking Around the World (matinée 038)

The Liberty Ship – Don't React (matinée 040)

Kosmonaut – Desert Song (matinée 041)

Razorcuts – Sometimes I Worry About You (matinée 047)

The Guild League – Between Delta and Delaware (matinée 050)

Math & Physics Club – When We Get Famous (matinée 056)

SPLASH 26

Matinée Singles Club

EDIT:

As I said on the show the Lovejoy track is very special because Keith Girdler sings on it. Unwittingly, it has also turned out to be special because of the terribly sad fact that Keith died six days before the programme was broadcast. I just recieved an email from Richard Preece of Lovejoy that says:

"It is with immense sadness that I write to inform you that my dearest friend Keith Girdler died on May 15th 2007. Keith passed away peacefully after a recent deterioration in his condition - he was diagnosed with cancer in July 2004. Keith was a truly special person and I know that many people will hold very fond memories of their time spent in his company. Keith is survived by his partner, his siblings and their families. We are all devastated at the tragic loss of Keith and we will miss him enormously."

"Keith wanted to be remembered, to use his own words, with 'happiness and smiles' - which for those of us fortunate enough to have known him, will come all too easily despite our grief."

So let this song be a tribute to Keith Girdler, and let's hope it will make many pop fans smile in the future!

/chris

DROP 60

2007-05-21T14:04:00.000+01:00

Tibi Lubin's first album was released on Rev-Ola in 2004. It's beautiful, produced by Joe Foster, and called I Don't See You As a Dead Girl. It's sold out now, so thus the initiative for this post. They have a new single out though! That's called Frankie Quinn and is available on creamy yellow vinyl from Aufgeladen und Bereit. I think a song from that might turn up on the radio show eventually, but in the meantime, enjoy the swoon-worthy sounds of this album track.

DROP 60

Tibi Lubin - Recipient Unknown

You Laughed At My Jokes But Not At My Scheming

2007-05-21T14:01:00.000+01:00

"...you called me the boy who couldn't stop dreaming." Sometimes I feel like Dan Treacy. No, when I think about it... not really! On Thursday it was Electric Honey's single launch at the Oran Mor. Any owner of a Tigermilk should know that Electric Honey is Stow College's own label and that each year they sign a new band to release a 7". Only in Belle & Sebastian's case, they baked them enough cakes to allow them to make a whole album. Well, they couldn't just have thrown away the rest of the songs now could they? Anyway, the band Electric Honey chose this year was Wake the President from Glasgow - masterminded by twins Erik and Björn Sandberg (and no, they're not Swedish). It's a double a-side with "Sorrows For Clothes" and "Mail Alice", you can hear both on their website. But if you think "myspace fucking sucks", who'll get to hear "Sorrows For Clothes" on the radio show anyway. It was a nice gig, but the lead guitar was a bit quiet. Wake the President were followed by The Bluebells. I thought "no, it can't be THOSE Bluebells!". But it was the ancient Scottish chart-toppers from the 80's. They were funny. But more in a laughing at than with way.

On Sunday it was the premiere of Monorail's new Film Club at the Glasgow Film Theatre. They were screening Masculin Féminin by Godard, and it was presented by Stephen, who introduced himself as 'a musician'. Before it they also screen what I think was Godard's first short, All Boys Are Called Patrick, on which he collaborated with Truffaut and which was simply amazing. It was cool to see so many people had turned up just because it was arranged by Monorail! Otherwise the average audience for a Godard screening would be about fifteen, I guess. Or fifteen and a half - to be generous. Next month it's The Last Detail, presented by Stuart Murdoch.

DROP 59

2007-05-17T14:11:00.000+01:00

Someone was asking if there were more recordings by North of Cornwallis, except for "Billy Liar" and "One 2nd Class Return". This has now turned up, thanks to Ally who gave me a wee tape with this song and some interesting stuff by other bands, that might see the light of day soon. It sounds more like a demo, because it only has vocals and two guitar tracks, but I love it all the same. If you were living the UK around 1990 you might have heard Beats International (started by Norman Cook post-Housemartins) in which Lester Noel sang a bit. I haven't, but I can't imagine it being as good as this. Lester was previously in Grab Grab the Haddock, and they're REALLY good! Apparently he also did backing vocals on a song by Danish pop band Gangway... And Cornwallis is apperently a Canadian island. Named after a Lord Cornwallis from England.

DROP 59
North of Cornwallis - Falling Over December

I Must Have Looked a Hundred Times

2007-05-17T13:57:00.000+01:00

But as you know, at night all cats are foxes. Potentially. In the West End at least. We saw a fox on Gibson Street last night, walking home from a Draytones gig. Oh, that reminds me, I've seen quite a few gigs lately that I need to tell you about! As I just said, we went to see London garage group The Draytones yesterday. I had high hopes after Brogues alterted me to the stomping sounds of the their debut single "Keep Loving Me", and they didn't let me down. They were a fashionably dressed (white shirts and jumpers, black chelsea boots) three-piece, and the pretty guitartist & singer was apparently from Argentina, but it was impossible to tell. They were actually only the support band for female singer Candie Payne, who was quite good as well and very suave. She had a five-piece garage-style backing band, although the music had some hints of soul and funk too. Those high heels looked very uncomfortable!

The 1990s are bit more pop than garage and we went to their album launch at Mono last Sunday. Mono was packed (maybe because it was free?) and "everyone was there". 1990s consists of former members of The Yummy Fur and V-Twin and released their first single last year. This three-piece is from Glasgow and they had lots of friends there, and we all had a good time. I managed to squeeze my way into Monorail as well to buy the new Trembling Blue Stars album, which is ace!

On Tuesday we were at The Admiral to catch Au Revoir on one of their seemingly all the more frequent Glasgow visits. But a happy surprise was the support act Slow Club - an insanely fun duo from Sheffield. It's safe to say they charmed the pants of everyone with their playful little tunes, harmonies, alternating vocals, chair/bottles/spoon-percussion and madly strummed country guitar. They have a 7" due out on Moshi Moshi in June and are playing at Tchai Ovna on the 10th of that month (it's free!). It'll be worth going just to see if their 'mega fan' turns up (whoever bought their one and ONLY t-shirt! If you like Mates of State, Tilly & the Wall and Architecture In Helsinki this band could be your life.

Australian Ned Collette played before them and we missed the start of his set, but I think he was a notch sharper at his Camera Obscura support slot. And of course the three girls in Au Revoir Simone played too! I still hadn't seen them play live so I'm glad I finally got to do that. The songs from the new album sounded great, but it must have been a bit ungratifying playing after Slow Club.

DROP 58

2007-05-14T17:22:00.000+01:00

Tiny picture or what? It's from the Bus Stop gallery page. Allen Clapp is a relatively new aquaintance for me, but is quickly becoming one of my favourite artists. Before he was just a name on the Bus Stop website, and there are plenty of them left to discover. He started recording on his own, then formed Allen Clapp & His Orchestra and eventually The Orange Peels who are set to play the NYC Popfest this year. This is one of his older songs and it came out on a Bus Stop 7" in 1992. It's also included on the new compilation of stuff from his "four-tracking heyday" called Something Strange Happens, which is a must-buy if there ever was one! Check Skatterbrain in the link list, where there are two more songs in a recent post. And there are some great podcasts on The Orange Peels website.

DROP 58

Allen Clapp - Mystery Lawn

SPLASH 25

2007-05-14T16:43:00.000+01:00

Arrrgh! We've been cut short again. There's no trusting the Subcity server. Well, all you've missed is the better part of "Bellshill's Son". But maybe the better part of of it IS what it's included in the file (cause the singer's stopped singing)? If you want to hear Off Key Singing you can always download the whole song from the Waaah site. Anyway, it's tweepop galore today, and the cover picture is of Claudia Cardinale and Luchino Visconti - perhaps the two biggest fans of tweepunk the world has known (who would have known?!). Claudia was also on the cover of James Dean Driving Experience's "Dean's Eleventh Dream", if you're lucky enough to own that (I'm not). If you're NOT lucky enough to have heard of Tales of Jenny, go download seven cracking songs here.

The Duglasettes – Bellshill’s Son
The Applicants – Crush
The Electric Pop Group – She’s Playing With Your Heart
The Garlands – You Never Notice Me
The Budgies – Friends In Literature (session)
Cub – A Picnic
Laura Watling – So Responsible
The Haywains – I Have Confidence
Bouquet – Do Re Mi
Roadside Poppies – Erosion
Happy Birthdays – Every Week
Funday Mornings – Killing Thomas
The Parcels – I Dream of Jean-Genet
Buster Jones – Baby Boy
Tales of Jenny – Reading Oscar Wilde In Public
Strawberry Story – For the Love of Billy
Fat Tulips – Treason
Talulah Gosh – I Told You So
The Candees – I Don’t Want to Be a Grown-Up
The Rosehips – Something Happened
Brighter – Half-Hearted

SPLASH 25
Fluff Fluff Fluff and Cuddleyness

DROP 57

2007-05-12T17:13:00.000+01:00

I just recieved Love Parade's Lazy Days EP in the mail - the first release on A Turntable Friend, remember? On the insert Ulrich writes about how he wishes he had enough money to buy the whole Claim back catalogue and reissue it. I know how he felt. There still hasn't been a single reissue of the stuff indie-mod Medway band The Claim recorded in the 80's! They did a load of singles and two albums that are equally brilliant, although the first one has a slightly rougher production. It was called Armstrongs Revenge & Eleven Other Stories. This is the opening track, and it'll floor you straight away, I promise.

DROP 57
The Claim - Ronnie's Orchard

What Was I Thinking?

2007-05-09T17:02:00.000+01:00

I'm back from a brief visit to Sweden, where it was even warmer thanhere! All the hours sitting in the sunshine has left me feeling drousy for days. While in Malmö I managed to go to two clubs and one party, well done eh? On Friday night I went to first instalment of the Function soul weekender. It was at a place called Moriskan, where I'd never been before and which was really nice. They had two djs over from the UK and they both played some great nothern soul and some almost-as-great modern soul (you can see where my loyalites lie...). On Saturday it was the last ever You Can't Hide Your Love Forever, which has been the best (yes, you guessed it) indiepop club there for years. So a bit sad, but the two guys have new projects on the way. In fact Daniel is thinking about getting John Hunt over for a new summer club at KB!

SPLASH 24

2007-05-07T23:12:00.000+01:00

Well, here I am, back from Sweden. No time to do the regular programme though. So here's a bunch of mp3s to entertain you throughout the week. There's lots of bands consisting of Ric Menck and Paul Chastain (and a few other guys). I also just found out that the last broadcast for my show will be on June the 4th. Then Subcity will be shutting down for the season, but as I've decided before I will continue doing one SPLASH a week for the rest of the time I'm here. The format might go back to the original one though, with just mp3s. The cover pic today is a still from Gregorys Girl, with Clare Grogan’s character reading A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The Springfields – Tranquil
A Clouds cover from Ric Menck's The Springfields. Paul was in the band too of course, but most of the songs – that were released on labels like Sarah and Bus Stop – were written and sung by Ric. This cover was originally released on the Summershine 7” Reach For the Stars in 1987.
Uni – You're So Much
I think this is the only song Brent Kenji released with this post-Skypark band. It was on the A Smile Took Over double-7” on Matinée, and like the rest of the songs on it it's a cover of a Sarah Records classic. The Sea Urchins recorded the original.
Aerospace – Better Days
The Swedish band of the week released their pop classic of a first album The Bright Idea Called Soul in 2001. Referencing bands like Belle & Sebastian, Skypark, The Fairways, and in this song, The Byrds, it was bound to be memorable!
The Byrds – She Don’t Care About Time (single version)
What a coincidence, here they are themselves, those giants of janglepop! This is the single version of the song from 1965's Turn! Turn! Turn!.
Danny Wagner – This Thing Called Love
The northern soul track of the week can be found on Wigan 30, celebrating thirty years of keeping the faith at Wigan Casino.
Francoise Hardy – Le temps de l'amour
Another 60's classic, but from France of course. Think it's from 1962 or 1963.
Bag-O-Shells – Back In Your Town
One of the best releases ever on Bus Stop was the Pocketbook 7” from Bag-O-Shells. Menck and Chastain again, but this time with Paul on vocals. I just love how the melody is subtly exposited in the intro, and then the jangle begins!
The Sunny Street – Rainy Hearts
One of the best albums this year is They Hurt You Everyday from the very French sounding couple that are The Sunny Street. This song was originally meant to be released on 7” by Andreas' And Then Suddenly!, but it never happened and it's now included on the album on Lavender.
Honeybunch – You're Killing Me
An old one from Honeybunch, who had connections to the Menck-Chastain collective of bands. Honestly, I couldn't find out where it's from! Does anyone have a clue?
The Nines – Too Late (to Change Your Mind)
Before Ric met Paul Chastain, Paul was in a band called The Nines. Their Like a Top EP from 1983 was recently shared to the public by Fire Escape Talking.
Paul Chastain – Am I Right
After that he released the Halo EP under his own name. Nick Rudd plays guitar on this record that came out in 1984.
The Castaway Stones – Eight Days
The Castaway Stones' album Make Love to You is one of Shelflife's proudest moments. Pam Berry was in this band before she moved to London. This is a b-side to the Leave No Stone Unturned 7” that preceded the album and that, in contrast to album, can still be had for a handful of dollars.
The Reverbs – Nevermore
This is the pre-Choo Choo Train project of Ric Menck. He played drums in The Reverbs before teaming up with Paul Chastain, and he released an lp called The Happy Forest in 1984.
The Big Maybe – Some Things Never Change
This was just a one off Ric and Paul did with Nick Rudd, before the two of them settled for the Choo Choo Train moniker. It's from 1987 and came out on their own Picture Book label.
The Choo Choo Train – Flower Field
From the legendary second 12” on Subway Organisation The Briar Rose EP from 1988. A truly collaborative effort from Paul and Ric that was the early stage of The Velvet Crush in many ways. As in that band, Paul is on vocal duties.
The Velvet Crush – One Thing 2 Believe
The first single by The Velvet Crush came out on Bus Stop, naturally. It's from 1990, then they were signed by Creation, and the rest is pop history.
The Wind – You Changed
This is the band Lane Steinberg was in before Tan Sleeve (another Bus Stop band) and Wall of Orchids. It's from 1982 and the classic album Where It's At With the Wind.
The Autumn Leaves – Ballad of Plum Tucker
This Byrdsian Minneapolis band released their first album on the great but forgotten Grimsey label in 1997. Treats and Treasures was then followed by The Twilight Hours of the Autumn Leaves in 2002.
The Nashville Ramblers – The Trains
Probably THE lost pearl on Children of Nuggets. This stormer is presumably from 1983, but sounds as genuine as anything from the 60's. The Nashville Ramblers was only a loose constellation of San Diego garage scenesters and the song was not released until the Bomp Records comp The Roots of Powerpop! came out in 1986.

SPLASH 24
Wishing On a Star

DROP 56

2007-05-02T19:35:00.000+01:00

Wall of Orchids have figured in one of my radio programmes before so I don't think they need too much of an introduction. It was essentially the project of Lane Steinberg, previously of The Wind (who are in the next programme), and subsequently of Tan Sleeve (who are on Bus Stop). Lane's only release at the time was the Life Must Go On 7", and the rest of the songs were kindly released by Bus Stop in 2002 as the Wall of Orchids EP.

DROP 56

Wall of Orchids - No One Is Looking At the Rain

Rings On Her Fingers

2007-05-02T19:12:00.000+01:00

Now I'm sitting here in my garden, watching my ebay auctions (I won't tell you what they are in case you might bid against me). Only 31 minutes left. I've handed in my essay and done the presentation for my opera course group project, and I feel so relieved! I still have two exams in a month though, but that's Far Away.

Yeah, I went to see The Pastels last Friday and I finally have time to write something about it now. It was a part of the Triptych festival and they were not the only ones playing at the CCA - they were joined by Electrelane, Tenniscoats, The Royal We (who I really, really loved) and Pierre Bastien. It was great to finally see them, I know they don't play too often even in Glasgow. It was Stephen and Katrina, Norman and Gerard from Teenage Fanclub, two people from International Airport and the two from Tenniscoats. They played two sets! (As did Electrelane.) The first one was a bit quieter and included some stuff from their colloboration with Tenniscoats and the play Caesar staged last year. Both of them were great, but in the second one we got to hear some real classics. Like "Nothing to Be Done" and... for the encore... "If I Could Tell You"! How about that? It was a great day at the CCA, everyone was there including the local indie celebrities, it was really beautiful and everyone seemed so happy. It kind of encapsulated everything good about The Pastels, Geographic, Monorail etc.

The day before I'd been to NPL, and it was one of the best ones I've been too. It was Sarah's birthday as well and she was quite overwhelmed by her surprise party. I would like to have my birthday on an NPL night too, I think everyone should! They really should change the constitution... The last three songs were "What Difference Does It Make?", "Shady Lane" and "Roadrunner". But the best songs were probably Ian Matthews' "She May Call Up Tonight" and The June Brides' "No Place Called Home". I also discovered I need to listen more to Lloyd Cole & the Commotions. And not one but TWO Felt songs. And "Expectations"... but that was probably after Stuart left.

DROP 55

2007-05-01T18:32:00.000+01:00

I haven't seen any signs of politcal agitation today, although it's May 1st. But maybe it's not like in Sweden where lots of people actually go out and demonstrate? Anyway, here's a nice song by The Rain that was never released. It was meant be an a-side for Medium Cool but did not become available to the public until the self-released compilation To the Citadel came out in 1989 (as Stephen was kind enough to inform me about). I don't know many indiepop songs (in fact none that I can think of right now) about working class issues, but this one is great. Indiepages had a 'rain' theme on their sounds page before, maybe it's still there, where there was fittingly a song by The Rain, called "Dry the Rain". Have a look. I think they were the best band on Medium Cool (The Siddeleys aside), so it might be worth it!

DROP 55

The Rain - First of May

SPLASH 23

2007-04-30T15:17:00.000+01:00

"All I ever wanted was a happy happy heart, and your cutesy hand in my hand." That's the chorus of Horowitz's stunning new b-side "Popkids of the World Unite". Buy that Cloudberry 3" now! It's a springtime indiepop mix today, with some old gems from Bubblegum Splash!, Bomb Pops and Another Sunny Day plus brand new sounds from All My Friends, The Relationships (even un-released in their case) and Esiotrot. All interspersed with some pearls from the 60s. I cannot recommed the All My Friends album enough! It will definetly be one of the best ones this year. Next Monday I will be on my way back from Sweden, but there will be an mp3 version with lots of Menck & Chastain goodies!

Dot to Dot – Upside
Po! – Glamour
Bomb Pops – Girl Daredevil
The B-Lovers – Inside Out
The Aardvarks – You're My Loving Way
Rita & the Tiaras – Gone With the Wind Is My Love
The Squires – I Can't Do It
The Relationships – Clockwork Toy
The Reactions – Don't You Care
Sportique – If You Ever Change Your Mind
The Poets – She Blew a Good Thing
Zouzou – Il est parti comme il etait venu
All My Friends – People Like You
Ultrasport – Ballgames
Spinning Wheels – A Million Years
Esiotrot – The Dirtiest Birthday Present
Horowitz – Popkids of the World Unite
Bubblegum Splash! – If Only
Another Sunny Day – Horse Riding

SPLASH 23

A Happy, Happy Heart!

Cameras Never Lie

2007-04-23T18:04:00.000+01:00

(Especially when they're not used.) Is it just me, or are Park Attack the hardest thing capture on film (or rather digital memory card) since Nessie? The first time I went to see them I forgot to take out my camera. This time I forgot to even take it with me! The gig was a lot better this time though. The small basement at Blackfriars really reverberated with their storm of noise. It was a goodbye gig for Lorna who's moving to Seattle indefinitely. It's not the end of the band though, we were promised. I'm not going to trust MySpace anymore though! It said 8 pm on their page, but when I got there at 9 the support band was still soundchecking. Park Attack didn't play until 11.30 I'm sure. They DID do an encore, after much discussion and someone in the audience chanting "MAKE SOMETHING UP, MAKE SOMETHING UP", which was really good - the encore I mean. Wasn't made up, but anyway.

So, no pictures - what to do? I knicked one off of MySpace just like the last time. This one is of the Tiny Little Hearts who supported them and which was the loudest thing I've seen for a while. And that's always good! It almost looks as if it could have been from Blackfriars, but it's not. Och well...

DROP 54

2007-04-23T16:05:00.000+01:00

"I shot you with my camera, weren't you making love with him?" I wanted to write something about "Eight Pictures" by The Go-Betweens, because it's one of their best songs but I came up with this instead. The only kind of rain I can say I enjoy is a gentle spring drizzle, like what we've had in Glasgow today. You know, when you don't REALLY get wet! So I thought, what better song to give you than Souvenir's cover of the Go-Be's "Spring Rain"? It quite faithful to the original - only it's in French. It's from that classic first Souvenir album that Shelflife put out. It's sold out, so that's why I'm giving you it, but you can still get the Spanish issue I think. Souvenir released a new album earlier this year, and I played a track off of that on the show a few weeks ago, but this one's from the time when they'd only just started experimenting with electronics and were still doing that jangling pop thing, with a few traces of country and 60's French chanson.

DROP 54
Souvenir - Spring Rain

SPLASH 22

2007-04-23T15:08:00.000+01:00

Enjoying the budding spring, are we? Well, you should also dig the classy cover picture above, which is essentially Cartoon For Gala (1974) by Bridget Riley. I have to admit I was tempted to write "thee fuzz" just to make it the same size, but that would've been over-doing it... This is one of the best programme's so far, I think, with many of my recent favourites. The first song is hardly present, so listen to it at the end of this. Also, the Red Button song didn't play properly, but if you hurry you might find something in the comments!

Richard & the Young Lions – Open Up Your Door
The Anyways – My Confession
The Rainyard – 1,000 Years
Pop Art Toasters – Go Ahead
The Dovers – People Ask Me Why
The Stepford Husbands – Seeing Is Believing
The Unclaimed – No Apology
The Mockingbirds – You Stole My Love
The Claim – Wait and See
The Red Button – It’s No Secret
Autohaze – Undecided
By Coastal Café – Death By Train
Marden Hill – Bacchus Is Back
The Crawdaddys – I Can Never Tell
Dean Parrish – I’m On My Way
The Point – All My Life
The Bluestars – Social End Product
The Spongetones – (My Girl) Maryanne
The Shadows of Knight – My Fire Department Needs a Fireman
The Cynics – Baby What’s Wrong

SPLASH 22
What All the Fuzz Is About

DROP 53

2007-04-22T11:40:00.000+01:00

I've been looking for this song for a long time! It started last year when Norman Blake played it during a DJ-set at Mono. He told me it was the b-side to their "Going All the Way" single that I had heard because it was on Nuggets. The b-side was also re-released - on one of the Pebbles volumes. That single was all The Squires ever released - though they did cut one single as The Rogues prior to that. After some research I found out about this compilation that included both singles and a bunch of demos. But it seemed really hard to track down as it only came out on vinyl in 1986. Then suddenly this year a copy of this Crypt comp turned up on eBay and I got it for about three quid! Imagine my joy... The song is so much better that the a-side, and it's one of my all-time faves. Maybe even better than "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better", on whose riff this song is modelled too! Proof that it's one of the best songs from the 60's is provided by The Pop Art Toasters, as it's one of the songs chosen for their covers ep. You'll get to hear their version of it tomorrow.

DROP 53
The Squires - Go Ahead

Can I Convince You You Are Pretty?

2007-04-22T01:48:00.000+01:00

Now I'm sitting here watching the fox in our garden, but just hours ago, before writing a new song, I was walking up that steep slope known as Scott Street and writing this post in my head. It has never felt better walking uphill! We are all heading for new heights and greater goods. Tonight Camera Obscura proved that they are still the best band in Scotland. They were so beautiful. No one can touch them! They proved there is still beauty in this world, and that that's all you need. You don't need love, you don't need things and people to make you happy when you can be proud of who and what you are. You don't have to look down, avert your gaze. They played "Eighties Fan" but the song that really made my day was "I Love My Jean". ABC has never been filled with so much Pop and so much Love. For the first time Tracyanne didn't look shy - she was shining. I actually met a boy yesterday who had never heard of Camera Obscura. Has was admittedly from Northern Ireland, but hey, he was living in Glasgow! I like to think he was there tonight. And walked out a better person - like the rest of us. I can't imagine anyone walking out of the venue and into the warm spring night without a smile on their face. I've forgotten half of what I was supposed to write, but it doesn't matter because I know it was quite nice.

There were two support acts: Emma Pollock (who was erm... professional) and Ned Collette from Australia. He was far from a ned and at times sounded like a folkier and dronier Alasdair Maclean. Quite good, that is. I also forgot to say I went to see The Hermit Crabs last Friday, in-between the A Smile and a Ribbon gigs. They were playing at a new club at the RAFA, called Drunk Behind the Pulpit and arranged by some people I know. The Crabs were good, but the inferior sound quality made it not-as-good-as the Brel gig. Blood Music and Older and Faraway played too but I missed the latter, and would not have cared if I had missed the former.

DROP 52

2007-04-19T15:15:00.000+01:00

Here is the other song! It wasn't released until 1998 but would've probably been a Choo Choo Train release if it had come out at the time. Now it can be found on the Hey Wimpus compilation that rounds up nearly all the songs Paul and Eric recorded under the Choo Choo Train moniker. Strangely enough, it also includes The Velvet Crush song "Walking Out On Love" that came out on a Raving Pop Blast flexi (the label started by The Groove Farm). It seems like Paul and Eric would like to see The Choo Choo Train as the demo stage of Velvet Crush. And if The Springfields was Eric's "side project", perhaps Bag-O-Shells was Paul's? The Bag-O-Shells singles still haven't been re-released, but you'll get to hear one of their tunes on the show quite soon, I promise.

DROP 52
The Choo Choo Train - There Before the Dawn

They Were Like Children

2007-04-19T14:39:00.000+01:00

I REALLY should tell you something about the gigs with A Smile and a Ribbon! The tour that included London and Glasgow went really well overall, although we did get a taste of the harsh reality of touring (including losing a set of flat keys and spending nine hours on a Megabus with a malfunctioning toilet). The London gig DID happen, after we found another key that could open my guitar case! The soundcheck was crap and I was still nervous about how I was going to get into my flat when me got to Glasgow. But the actual gig was good and there's not really much point in me going on about it, because you can read about it in the best piece of writing I've seen for ages, right here. Helen McCookerybook used to be in our heroes The Chefs and seemed to have had a good time! As did Bid from Scarlet's Well and Kevin from The Dreamers. And Tom and Trev from Indie MP3 and Lostmusic had a good time too! In fact Tom wrote about us here. What did we look like? Well, something like this I reckon:

We got to Glasgow eventually, and we got into my flat as well! It was a good turnout at The Winchester Club and most of the people we had expected turned up. This is us below, hanging out at the Woody pre-gig. The crowd seemed happy and pleased during ours and Bob Skeleton's sets. They did their now notorious banjo instrumental and were great allround. The most enthusiastic one in the crowd when we played was John from Hermit Crabs, but I think he was a bit drunk!

The setlist was pretty much the same here as in London and looked something like this:

The Boy I Wish I Never Met
Book Cover
My Bunny's Back
One-Night Wonder
Pebbles
A Little Late to Be Polite
A Nice Walk In the Park
Then I Felt Your Cheek
Dream Lover

The last one is a Bobby Darin cover, but in London we did "Little Boys" by The Mekon instead. And they didn't get to hear "Then I Felt Your Cheek"! You Glaswegians are so lucky... Maybe we'll even be back sometime.

DROP 51

2007-04-19T14:13:00.000+01:00

Ric Menck and Paul Chastain have released so many records under so many pseudonyms! There'll be a radio programme soon with some of their music in it, but until then I thought I'd put up two songs from the reissues that you should start out with if you want to delve into the Menck/Chastain catalogue. This one can be found on The Ballad of Ric Menck, released as a Menck solo album. It doesn't have any info about where the all the songs are from and actually includes stuff that has earlier been released with The Springfields (probably their best band), The Choo Choo Train and... The Paint Set! This was a name Ric only ever used for two songs he released (this was before meeting Paul) and they're both on this cd. "Delaware Rain" is originally from 1985 and was included on a compilation lp called WNUR 89.3 Heat From the Wind Chill Factory. It's probably one of the best recyclings of the riff from "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" by The Byrds (and THEY actually knicked the idea from "Needles and Pins" by The Searchers, I just found out).

DROP 51
The Paint Set - Delaware Rain

SPLASH 21

2007-04-16T16:14:00.000+01:00

There WILL be a post about the A Smile and a Ribbon gigs VERY soon, but first the new radio program. It's called Joy Will Find You Out after the brilliant June Brides song with the same name, and it's brimful of lovely happy music. But not entirely, as you might guess from the ambiguous cover pic. No Swedish track of the week today, there was supposed to be some Fibi Frap but I guess you'll just have to wait. There's a Norwegian track though... Contrary to what I said her first ep Qui a besoin d'une voiture? (which I guess means "Who Needs a Car") on Anorak HAS been followed by a full-lenght album. That's called Sometimes I Wonder If You Have a Heart and is on My Honey. By looking here, and here, it seems that all of the ep is on the album as well! The "listen again" files are now the right lenght so nothing's missing but the timing is still off. So use this link to hear the beginning (skip to the last ten minutes or so). Today's playlist:

The Sandkings – One of These Days
The Hit Parade – Are You Scared to Get Happy
Denim – Fish and Chips
David Westlake – Everlasting
Would-Be-Goods – Angel Square
The Orchids – I Need You to Believe In Me
The Chalk Giants – A Jump Eh?
Tesco Chainstore Mascara – Just the Weight You Are
Bye Bye Blackbirds – In Every Season
Boyracer – The Useless Romantic
The June Brides – Pound For Pound (live)
Esiotrot – Calypso
Soda Fountain Rag – Walking With My Angel
Lil’ Lavair & the Fabulous Jades – I'll Be So Happy
Bridewell Taxis – Just Good Friends
Metrotone – Kiss Me Awake
The Desert Wolves – Stopped In My Tracks

SPLASH 21
Joy Will Find You Out

SPLASH 20

2007-04-09T16:05:00.001+01:00

The twentieth programme, hurray! This is one for the sleepyheads. Just don't fall asleep! The cover pic is taken by Partick Camera Club as usual, and the title is an old song by Felt, who feature in this programme with another track. Click the link in the playlist to visit The Dreamers' MySpace and listen to three more unreleased songs! They are the Swedish band of the week, though they're half English. The first one here, by Maurice Deebank from Felt, is cut short, but guess what... I played it again at the end after The Carousel!

Maurice Deebank – Golden Hills
The Clientele - (I Can't Seem) to Make You Mine
The Dreamers – So Near So Far
Lovejoy – Getting Away With It All
The Durutti Column – Francesca
Felt – Serpent Shade
Harvey Williams – Don’t Shout At Me
The Pines – Kisses and Fog
The Shapiros – Do You Know
The Autocollants – Another Thursday
The Softies – I Love You More
Louis Philippe – Man Down the Stairs
France Gall – J’entends cette musique
The Little Foxes – So Glad Your Love Don’t Change
The Cat’s Miaow – I Fall to Pieces
The Young Tradition – Everything We Knew
The Beau Brummels – You Tell Me Why
The Carousel – Evergreen

SPLASH 20
Something Sends Me to Sleep

I Know Who You Could Be

2007-04-08T20:32:00.000+01:00

And I know what Butcher Boy could be, and certainly will become this year: the Best New Band From Scotland. They've already played in London and did a fund-raising gig at the RAFA on Good Friday, before heading out on their nation-wide tour next week. If you live in one of the towns they'll visit it is your duty as a pop fan to go and see them. Last night was fantastic, Garry said they've never been that good! They had their gear set up on the floor (only their drummer was on the stage), and it seemed much more intimate having them on eye-level height. They did a great version of "Almost Prayed" as well - The Weather Prophets cover Tom from Indie MP3 seemed to have appreciated at the London gig. There was no support act, but an old documentary (from 1963) about Glasgow called Glasgow Belongs to Me, which was quite funny. It was also John's birthday and we all got tea and hot cross-buns! There was dancing afterwards and towards the end they played Altered Images' "Happy Birthday" and gave John a cake.

DROP 50

2007-04-08T20:19:00.000+01:00

Halfway to 100, but I don't think I'm going to reach that... Anyway, here is a very special song to celebrate the occasion. I recently bought one of the best records ever - a 10" compilation of all the single sides cut by The Dovers in the 60s, released by Italian garage revellers Misty Lane in 2001. It simply escapes me how this record did not sell out instantly. I mean, it cost me 22€ but believe me that is next to nothing in this context. The record includes some of the most perfect pop songs of all time - like "What Am I Going to Do" from the Nuggets box and 100 seconds long "Your Love" that has more jangling Rickenbacker and melodies than all the Byrds and Beatles records together. Equally, it's got some of the most far-out psych pop in history - like the hypnotically plummeting "She's Not Just Anybody" and the song you can get here: the nothing less than mind-blowing "The Third Eye". It's a perfect example of an attempt by a pop group to write a psychedelic song, virtually all the garage bands of the 60s had at least one of them in their repertoire. Recommended volume for playback: Loud.

DROP 50

The Dovers - The Third Eye

To encourage you to buy this record, here is a photo of the insert with a very insightful interview with the band.

I Don't See You As a Dead Girl

2007-04-07T20:03:00.000+01:00

So, I've been to see Monica Queen and it's time I told you about both the Brel gigs now. Monica Queen played to a small (and quite old) crowd on Thursday. If you don't recognice the name she's the woman who sings on the Belle & Sebastian fave "Lazy Line Painter Jane", and suffice to say, it doesn't give a fair exposure to her talent. I mean, it's great, but last night... nothing less than breath-taking, as Eric put it. I've not seen Emmylou Harris live, but I can imagine this is what it would have been like. Because she was THAT good, maybe even better. Her melodies and scales were bit more on the folky side though, rather than country. And the lyrics were maybe a bit too Christian for my taste (her latest record is called Return of the Sacred Heart). She had a guy called Johnny playing guitar and harmonica and doing some harmonies, who was apparently her boyfriend. And she picked up the guitar herself as well for two of the songs, including the last one - a take on "Like a Hurricane". Supporting her was a guy called Daffy (whose music you can hear here), who was really good as well. Imagine a Stuart Murdoch ten years on...

Stevie Jackson was there again - he came to see Tibi Lubin on the Tuesday as well. Tibi Lubin were fantastic! I went there as if to see a band I've never heard, but after the gig it struck me I had heard "Miss Myopia" a few years ago, but totally forgotten about it. The band was three women and they're often compared to Young Marble Giants and the Marine Girls. They've got a new single out (this was a single launch night) called "Frankie Quinn" which is about time because their old debut album that has the same title as this post (produced by Joe Foster and on Rev-Ola) is reportedly out of print. They also played a really good version of Strawberry Switchblade's "Trees and Flowers" that they haven't recorded.

DROP 49

2007-04-06T20:00:00.000+01:00

I recently bought The Hit Parade's Japanese album Light Music. It was released in 1992 and has twelve glossy, wonderfully over-produced pop songs. I'm playing "Are You Scared to Get Happy" on the radio soon, and another song on the record with a referential POP! title is "So Said Kayo"! Anne Marie from The Field Mice actually sings backing vocals for one of the tracks. And of course Harvey Williams appears here and there. "On the Eve of Greatness" is the best song on the album and I think it might even be as good as "You Didn't Love Me Then" - one of their early singles. If you haven't bought last year's The Return of the Hit Parade by now, I definitely think you should. Especially if you like this one!

DROP 49

The Hit Parade - On the Eve of Greatness

Putting a Poster Up

2007-04-05T19:57:00.000+01:00

As you may know already, A Smile and a Ribbon are playing in London and Glasgow next week (and maybe a third secret place...). You've probably got one of these flyers already:

If not, I invite you to come down to the Horse & Groom on Thursday or the Woodside on Saturday.

On the First Bus Out of Town

2007-04-05T19:53:00.000+01:00

Fittingly, the same week as the northern soul programme I went to the best northern club I've been to for ages. I'm talking about Central City Soul, which was co-visited by Brogues. I mean, it was great last time too, but there was no one there! I'll tell you soon as I find out the date for next month. I'd actually been to the Woody just the night before for some npl dancing, which I've missed out on the last few months. John's not going to do the Little League this summer, which is all the more reason to go see Butcher Boy at the RAFA club on Friday. It was a good night (Ken Chu was there, so how could it not?) and the best songs were "Ask Johnny Dee", "Simply Thrilled", "Sleep the Clock Around" and "Spring Rain". It ended badly though, as one of friends became victim of the first serious theft ever to happen at npl. Better hold on to your things next month!

My family's here on a visit this last week of the uni Easter Break and we went out to see Culzean castle and country park on Tuesday, which must have been one of the sunniest days in Scottish history! Just look at the sky. There were some caves among the cliffs below the castle, by the sea. I walked a ways towards them, but the tide was rising so I couldn't go all they way. It was beautiful though. I went to a fantastic gig at Brel the same day, but I'll tell you about it later cause I'm going to another one at the same place today (Monica Queen!).

DROP 48

2007-04-04T19:47:00.000+01:00

Slipslide are one of several longtime indiepop groups that are still active but find their work impeded by babysitting. Graeme Elston and his friends have been working on a second album ever since 2003's magnificent The World Can Wait. Only a few songs have appeared, like the recording of the old Love Parade tune "Life" that was on a Matinée comp. A while ago a new song was put up on their MySpace, and maybe you've already got it but I thought a few more people would notice it if I featured it here. It's a fantastic song, more acoustic than most of the first album, with an as-gorgeous-as-ever vocal from Graeme. They played together with The Orchids in London last month and Graeme says they're hoping to manage a few more live dates this year.

DROP 48

Slipslide - You Won't Find It Again

Like Grogan In the Movies

2007-04-03T19:37:00.000+01:00

I've seen quite a few films now during the Easter break. Two of them were documentaries that I saw in conjunction with my FTV studies essay. They're not really documentaries as such, because one - Chronique d'un été - was the beginning of the cinema vérité phenomenon ("the cinema of truth", literally trying to show life as it is) and the other - Man With a Movie Camera - was the chief inspiration for it. Man With a Movie Camera was made by Russian filmmaker Dziga Vertov in 1929 before government control over the film industry became too suffocating. It's a very self-reflexive work trying to define a unique language for film-making. It's silent but the copy I watched had a quite unusual score, written after Vertov's instructions. It's about a man walking and travelling around a city with his camera and filming events and people. The other film is called Chronicle of a Summer in English and was made by Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin in 1961. It's sort of a documentation of its own making, edited chronologically. Jean and Edgar are trying to make a film about life and living in Paris and it has very little in the way of action. It's mainly a series of interviews and monologues with about ten different people. The last part is shows the participants watching the finished movie (up until that part) and giving critique (some of it quite scathing) and then Jean and Edgar are shown arguing about whether the project was successful or not and if they were happy with what they've done, on which they seem to disagree.

A radically more fictitious film is David Lynch's new creation - Inland Empire starring Laura Dern and Justin Theroux. It's filmed entirely by digital cameras which made me a bit suspicious at first, but he's managed to assimilate the technique into the Lynchian world of aesthetics. It's about three hours long, the plot doesn't start until twenty minutes into the film and then gets hopelessly lost after one and a half hours. I left the cinema with a mild headache. But it was worth it, because it's one of his best although it cannot touch Mulholland Drive. Unlike that one and all his other movies, Inland Empire doesn't even seem to have a secret key that unravels all the mysteries of the plot. If that's not a problem for you, I think you should go see it too.

Other stuff I've seen recently is X-Men 3 (out of allegiance to a good comic) which is a disgrace to the two earlier films, L'Eclisse and L'Avventura (the other two Antonioni films that supposedly make up a trilogy together with La Notte), and Belle-de-Jour (the brilliant 60s Luis Buñuel film that's been on for two weeks at Glasgow Film Theatre). And I've also seen Gregory's Girl starring Clare Grogan of Altered Images fame. It was made by Bill Forsyth in 1980 and I can definitely see why it's some people's favourite film and has been called one of the the best Scottish films ever. The film still above would've made a good record cover, wouldn't you say?

SPLASH 19

2007-04-02T16:25:00.000+01:00

This programme was going to be about northern soul music, and thus called after the legendary Timi Yuro track. But I messed it up completely - one of the cds I'd brought was the wrong one, so I had to go back home and the get the right one. So the songs ended up in the wrong order and without most of the links. Because of that I've decided to go back to the good old single-mp3s-mode, to some people's satisfaction I'm sure. I've written down the stuff I was going to say here:

The Prisoners – Whenever I'm Gone
The first track is from 1985, by 60s revivalists The Prisoners. They came from Medway and did NOT take their name from the surrealistic tv series The Prisoner (starring Patrick McGoohan and shown on ITV in 1967), as you can read in the comments - but from a single by The Vapors. Next song is the b-side of a 1966 single.
Mousie & the Traps – How About You
Mouse & the Traps – Maid of Sugar – Maid of Spice
A well-known garage tune from 1966 that is on the first Nuggets box. They're completely unrelated to Mousie & the Traps that were before them with a song from the same year. The next one is another northern soul single, this one from 1965, and it fetches high prices on the collector's market. A cover of this song by the indiepop band Kicker was on an ep Fortuna Pop released two years ago. It features four covers of northern greats and the other contributors are Airport Girl, Butterflies of Love and Comet Gain. Kicker’s version is the only one that approaches the intensity of the original.
The Inticers – Since You Left
? and the Mysterians – "8" Teen
The b-side of the second single, from 1966. Before that The Inticers and "Since You Left" - a cover of that was on an ep called More Soul Than Wigan Casino and I thought I'd play two more of the original tracks that are covered on it. Comet Gain play a re-written version of "If You Ever Walk Out of My Life", and here it is as sung by Dena Barnes in 1967.
Dena Barnes - If You Ever Walk Out of My Life
Mary Wells – Two Lovers
That was two songs that were covered in 2005 for an indiepop meets northern soul ep on Fortuna Pop. The second one was Mary Wells' 1962 single "Two Lovers". The next song is from 1967 and could have been a soul song, but was actually recorded by a garage group called The Human Beinz. Beings was spelt B-E-I-N-Z on the single, much to the group's chagrin.
The Human Beinz – Nobody But Me
Yvonne Vernee – Just Like You Did Me
Another northern classic there, from 1967. While doing some research for today's programme I found the next song I'm playing both on a list of someone's favourite northern songs as well as on a list of the worst ones. If you've got a northern soul favourite you can tell us in the comments. Anyway, here is the song in question.
Muriel Day – Nine Times Out of Ten
Forest Hairston – We Go to Pieces
There are quite a few instrumentals that have been popular at northern soul clubs – a good example is "The Wigan Joker" that was often played at Wigan Casino. The song you just heard though, was "We Go to Pieces".
Levi Jackson – This Beautiful Day
Marvin L. Sims – Now I'm In Love With You
Levi Jackson followed by Marvin L. Simms who was also in The Valentinos. You heard the a-side "Now I'm In Love With You from 1966. A single that came out the next year was "The People In Me" by garage stalwarts The Music Machine. They became legendary for their impeccable sense of style and an unparalleled sound. One feature of this sound was the intertwining of guitar and farfisa melodies, and this is used to great effect on songs like "Double Yellow Line" that is on the Nuggets box. But as I said, here is their second single.
The Music Machine – The People In Me
The Seven Souls – I Still Love You
The closest thing to a northern soul label there is is probably Chicago soul purveyors Okeh, and that's mainly because many of their releases were available in the UK as well. This was a 1967 single on that label. The next song was probably good to have handy as the sun rose over an open-air all-nighter.
World Column – So Is the Sun
The Outsiders – Backwards, Upsidedown!
By Cleveland’s The Outsiders, and from their first album. Like many garage groups they're known as a one-hit wonder, but actually many of their songs are as good as the "Time Won’t Let Me" single that you can find on Nuggets. Another song that is on the first Nuggets box is The Sparkles's "No Friend of Mine" from 1967. I'll play that and one more northern soul track, the stately "I Walked Away" by Bobby Paris – and then that's the show finished for today.
The Sparkles – No Friend of Mine
Bobby Paris – I Walked Away

SPLASH 19
It'll Never Be Over For Me

DROP 47

2007-03-27T18:20:00.000+01:00

Episode 4's only record - the twelve inch Strike Up Matches has become known as one of the most expensive indiepop records there are. According to the East Village page (cause it's the same band) on Indiepages it been sold for around $500, which is ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as $600 for the East Village single collection Hot Rod Hotel. That has been reissued now (as part of the new deluxe edition of Drop Out on Excellent Records), but still no sign of Strike Up Matches... So here is one of the four songs on it. They're all more acoustic than the East Village stuff, and not as good as East Village at their best moments. It's still fantastic though, so thanks for the songs Ben!

DROP 47

Episode 4 - Again and Again

The Night You Can't Remember

2007-03-27T18:13:00.000+01:00

I've been enjoying my first week of the uni Easter Break and I've had time to do a bit more than previous weeks. The first thing I did was to go to the Magnetic Fields tribute night at MacSorley's two weeks ago. Covers were played by musicians from bands like Dot to Dot, The Royal We, Hermit Crabs and Older and Far Away for several hours. The best set was from the band called The Meritocracy (pictured below) - made up for the night. And that was mainly because Hermit Crab-John played guitar. Older and Far Away were good as well - I've never seen them before. I'm looking forward to seeing them with The Hermit Crabs at the RAFA Club on April 13th (yes, it's a Friday...).

This week I went Hitherto (small shop inside Tinderbox) where some friends of the Mono folk put on the Japanese folk guitarist Naoto Kawate, who has been seen playing with Maher Shalal Hash Baz on occasion. He was really shy and had the quietest voice. But his guitar-playing was beautiful and ranging from virtuosity to awkwardness. It was instrumental because 'the notes were the words' or something. Supporting him was a lone David Scott without backup from the rest of The Pearlfishers. I've never listened much to The Pearlfishers although I like them, but I will now! It was a great performance and top quality songs, including a charming cover of the Pentangle song "Lord Franklin". Stephen and Katrina were there of course, as well as Norman Blake and Duglas T Stewart (who seemed to have gotten a recent haircut).

The day after that, on Friday, I went to Sounds of Sweden. This month it was at Bacchus and had Television Keeps Us Apart and Zoey Van Goey on the bill. Only the former were from Sweden of course, but I've never heard of them before. They were quite good, but it seemed the bulk of the crowd were there to see local attractions Zoey, who were as good as the last time I saw them. Next month (on Easter Sunday!) it's The Ex-Men (who include a guy from Death By Chocolate, but which is of no consequence musically I gather) and Mr. Suitcase, which means I'll finally be able to see him play live.

The Even More Brilliant Corners

2007-03-27T18:08:00.000+01:00

I recently made a life-changing discovery. Remember how I said before that I've always wondered why The Brilliant Corners sound so different on the BBC Sessions lp that I've got? Better, I've always thought though. I suddenly came up with the idea to slow the songs down, after having messed around with Tullycraft's "Twee" (you should try listening to it speeded up - it's the funniest thing ever!). I soon found out that the BBC Sessions lp is pressed at a speed that is approximately 15% too fast, with the result that everything is one tone step higher. This is not so on the cd version, I've checked, but I have yet to found out if all the vinyl copies are defective or if it's just mine! It'll be interesting to hear from other people who own the record... So now I've fixed all the songs, but they sounded better before - mainly because they were faster, and also the vocals sounded more twee. So then I made a third version of the record, which is transposed down to the right pitch but retains the same high speed. I've put up these three versions of one and the same song from the lp - "Trust Me". Which do you think sounds best? Please listen to them in the the order they are in, especially if you haven't heard The Brilliant Corners before! I wonder if the band are aware of this, or if even Vinyl Japan are. And the songs are here by the way.

SPLASH 18

2007-03-26T17:13:00.000+01:00

Here's a new radio programme! This time with a Hey Paulette-derived title. More indiepop today, with the odd psych track as well. Seemingly without reason, the 'listen again' thing has now gone back to starting too late, which is very upsetting because I'm so excited about that Liechtenstein b-side that's supposed to be first. What I'll do is I'll upload the song and put the link and what I was saying about it in the comments as soon as I can!

Liechtenstein – Cravings
Dolly Mixture – Side Street Walker
The Fizzbombs – Surfaround
The Standells – Did You Ever Have That Feeling
Phyllis Brown – I’ve Got Something On My Mind
Butcher Boy – I Could Be In Love With Anyone
Apple Orchard – Closer
Orange Juice – You Old Eccentric
The Suede Crocodiles – Happiness Sound
The Brilliant Corners – A Very Easy Death
Emily – The Old Stone Bridge
Celestial – Dream On
The Dufflecoats – Motorbikesong
Denver – World of Pages
14 Iced Bears – Dust Remains
The Cudgels – Watermeadow Dream
The Seeds – Chocolate River
The Hepburns – I Am a Machine

SPLASH 18
Her Cluelessness Is Absolute

SPLASH 17

2007-03-19T15:11:00.000Z

This is a photograph of one of the heat reflectors in Kibble Palace, Botanic Gardens, Glasgow - and nothing else. This programme was meant to be a bit electronic with a cold and crisp soundscape and was named after a Wild Swans song. Which doesn't really fit... because the Swans' sound was quite warm, and so are the tracks from Souvenir and Gwenno. But I hope you'll like it anyway. And just when I thought I'd shorten the show and start later, it seems that they've fixed the problem so there was no point starting five past! Well, all you missed was an Air France song called "Never Content". At least you'll get the to hear the intro theme now.

The Bridal Shop - Spectrum of Clarity
Trembling Blue Stars - Until the Dream Gets Broken
Sovenir - Allô , allô
They Go Boom!! - I Wish You Were Someone Else
The Wild Swans - No Bleeding
The Wake - Torn Curtain
The Snowdrops - Mad World
Simpático - Garden Greene
Hal - Election Day
The Magnetic Fields - In My Secret Place
Gwenno - Lime Chordial
Section 25 - Looking From a Hilltop

SPLASH 17
Now You're Perfect

DROP 46

2007-03-18T20:16:00.000Z

Here is the second and last instalment of Spring Rain. As before please read from 42 upwards. I've noticed that "Stop the Rain" by The Suede Crocodiles is by far the most popular DROP I've posted. I do wonder why, but I guess it is as it should be.

Sometimes people forget that Razorcuts actually recorded more songs than are on the Matinée reissues. I'm not going to go on about "Snowbirds Don't Fly" again but on their first album, called Storyteller (Creation 1987), there are two songs that were not on R Is For...Razorcuts or the following ep. Of course Jimmy couldn't include all their songs, and "Silhouette" and "Sky High" are not really among their best songs. There's no such thing as a second-rate Razorcuts songs though, and they should all be heard and treasured. Here is "Sky High" - track four on the lp for completists. I would just like to alert you to the fact that sometime Razorcuts lead guitarist Angus Stevenson is now in The Relationships with members of another of my favourite bands: The Anyways. But maybe you know them already cause they've already done two records. It escapes my how they could have passed my by so long! I mean, their first ep was on Twee Kitten! Well, more about them later, this is a Razorcuts post.

DROP 46

Razorcuts - Sky High

DROP 45

2007-03-18T20:12:00.000Z

I recently bought The Brilliant Corners' second album What's In a Word from 1986. It's short - only eight songs - but that's alright because they're all great! The most well-known song from it is probably the single "Brian Rix", but I have to give you this hilarious acoustic number that rounds the album off and which is not very representative. The lyrics to many of the songs are first class: "Laugh I Could Have Cried" is about a pretend Marxist who makes him 'desperately entranced but then she opens her mouth and pulls out a tract', and you can hear the lyrics to "Boy and the Cloud" yourself - or read it above.

DROP 45

The Brilliant Corners - Boy and the Cloud

DROP 44

2007-03-18T20:09:00.000Z

Stephen played guitar in a band called Bulldozer Crash and their singer Marc Elston later went on to form the brilliant Liberty Ship. Stephen has had several projects afterwards: Denver, Kosmonaut, and the latest Northern_Electrix who released a single on I Wish I Was Unpopular last year. Bulldozer Crash's unbelievable first single "Sarah Said" (Sunday 002) was on SPLASH 15, and I thought I'd give you a song from their second 7" as well. Also on Sunday Records, it was called the Automatic Smile EP. On the a-side: "What Happen's Now?" and "Mrs Robinson's Daughter". "Automatic Smile" was on the b-side, and now it is also here! Thanks to Stephen once again.

DROP 44

Bulldozer Crash - Automatic Smile

DROP 43

2007-03-18T20:07:00.000Z

They Go Boom!!'s first release was a Dolphin 7 flexi called The Summer's On Its Way EP that came with the fourth number of the This Almighty Pop! fanzine, written by Stephen Maughan. Which means in 1990. It's not really an ep as it only has two songs, but maybe they just wanted to put that title on it. Which is a good idea of course, and the reason why it turns up here now. The other song will be part of Now You're Perfect on Monday. "Age of Innocence" is the first track on the flexi, and it comes courtesy of Stephen.

DROP 43

They Go Boom!! - Age of Innocence

DROP 42

2007-03-18T20:00:00.000Z

The next radio programme will be a bit more electronic, to make up for the lack of electronic pop music in previous shows. So I thought, what better time to post a song by Hal than now? No, not THAT Hal of course... This is Keris and Alex's post-Brighter project, which also included Laura Bridge I'm told. She would later start Harper Lee together with Keris. He had some songs he'd written for Brighter left and jumped at the possibility of recording them for an ep on Vinyl Japan. (One of the songs on the ep, "I Wish I'd Never Said That", turned up at Indie MP3 last year as a Brighter demo). The newly recorded versions presented a more electronic sound with more prominent drum programming, bass keyboards and some Bernard Sumner style guitar-playing among the many layers of jangle. There is also a beautiful song called "Somedays" that stands out starkly for its sparse use of guitar. The feel of the lyrics is bleaker than the older Brighter songs, that sometimes presented an innocent (but perhaps futile) hope - I'm thinking of songs like "Does Love Last Forever?". In many ways the ep is more similar to Harper Lee and their more electronic moments, like "Stupid". Or "He Holds a Flame" for that matter. As Hal, they wrote new material and played a few shows, but none of the original Hal songs were ever recorded - to my and I'm sure many other fans' chagrin. Alex Sharkey later joined Fosca for a while and then started Pinkie. If we've truly seen the last of Harper Lee, maybe we could hope for a Hal reunion then? Do you remember the songs Keris? And if we all gather in money we can sue those Hal impostors! The Election Day EP was released in 1994, and if you listen to the programme next week, you can hear the title-track as well.

DROP 42

Hal - Clear About This

I'd Whisper My Confession

2007-03-16T21:27:00.000Z

After David told me how he and his sister used to make tapes every spring of the Best Songs Ever, I sat down at 1.00 am today (yesterday actually) and gave it try. (This is the sort of thing I waste my time on, when I should really be sleeping.) I obviously ended up with too much for a C-90 tape, so I separated it into two lists - one of indiepop and one of garage-psych and northern soul. And rather than an exact length of time, I limited each to 30 songs. This is the result, without any special order but of course, which songs I came up with first says something about their urgency.

Here are the pop songs, all of them from the ten year span of 1982-1992 (except for The Clientele of course):

The Anyways – My Confession
The Rainyard – 1,000 Years
The Springfields – Sunflower
The Desert Wolves – Besotted
The Mayfields – Feels Like Yesterday
14 Iced Bears – Sure to See
Bulldozer Crash – Sarah Said
East Village – Back Between Places
St. Christopher – All of a Tremble
The Hit Parade – You Didn’t Love Me Then
Hurrah! – Around and Around
The Clouds – Tranquil
The Sea Urchins – A Morning Oddyssey
James Dean Driving Experience – Drop Dead Darling
Brighter – Does Love Last Forever?
Another Sunny Day – What’s Happened
The Suede Crocodiles – Paint Yourself a Rainbow
Reserve – The Sun Slid Down the Tower
The Siddeleys – Something Almost Brilliant Almost Happened Last Night
Razorcuts – First Day
The Jaywalkers – (You Can’t Be) Happy All the Time
Jesse Garon & the Desperadoes – This Town Is Falling Down
The Submarines – Take Me Away
Felt – Hours of Darkness Have Changed My Mind
The Clientele – Lacewings
The Visitors – Waking Up to Nothing
The Orchids – Apologies
Sister Rain – Burt Reynolds
Primal Scream – Subterranean
This Poison! – You;- Think!!

Here is the 60s stuff then. I'm not as sure about this as the previous list, cause I haven't listened to this music for as long, so my favourites aren't that well cemented yet and change around quite a bit.

The Dovers – She’s Not Just Anybody
The Squires – Go Ahead
The Rain Parade – What She’s Done to Your Mind
The Nashville Ramblers – The Trains
The Poets – That’s the Way It’s Got to Be
The Flamin’ Groovies – I Can’t Hide
The Vipers – Cheated and Lied
The Music Machine – Double Yellow Line
The Chocolate Watchband – Sweet Young Thing
The Seeds – Evil Hoodoo
The Remains – Why Do I Cry
The Point – All My Life
The Action – In My Lonely Room
The Beau Brummels – Don’t Talk to Strangers
The Sound Magics – Don’t You Remember
The Palace Guard – Falling Sugar
The Del-Vettes – Last Time Around
The Sorrows – Cara-Lin
Dean Parrish – I’m On My Way
Tina Britt – The Real Thing
The Inspirations – Touch Me, Hold Me, Kiss Me
Diane Lewis – Keep a Hold On Me
Patti Young – Head and Shoulders
Cindy Scott – I Love You Baby
Bob & Fred – I’m On My Way
Jimmy Mack – My World Is On Fire
Robby Lawson – Burning Sensation
Ken Williams – Come Back
The Artistics – This Heart of Mine
Amanda Humphrey – Power of Love

It's going to be interesting to look back at this in a year! Many of these songs have been featured here earlier, and the ones that haven't probably will eventually, in one form or another. You're welcome to propose omissions!

Tortoise, Tortoise, Get Bigger, Get Bigger!

2007-03-14T11:48:00.000Z

Esiotrot are a Magic Band. Come on, they can't be for real! If the sound that playing children make had been music, this is what it would sound like. Listening to Esiotrot is like being let in on a secret. At first the music is mesmerizing. Then you go: that funny sound... that is a guitar? You'd never know. Oh, so that's were the furry bunny in the top hat came from! But the saw... it really has an edge to it, and now there're body parts all over the floor! And bleach on your fingers when you tried to remove the stains.

I admit I'm a bit late catching on to the Esiotrot Hype, but now I've finally bought their album Schmesiotrot thanks to Mr. Fitchett and Mr. Brogan. They're like Pants Yell! with four more members, including a mini horn section. You know how sometimes it seems like The Boy Least Likely To wish they were the cute little creatures on their record sleeve? Well, they're Esiotrot so tough luck! You should let your record shopping be dictated by Those Who Know Better too! (Hint.) And that goes in particular for records with interchangeable sleeves! I wish I'd thought of that. I wish I'd thought of Esiotrot. (Can't read backwards? Common adult symptom. Try this knil.)

Let's fight fires instead of making firewalls.

DROP 41

2007-03-13T18:35:00.000Z

I haven't really been doing anything interesting the past two weeks, so nothing to write about. To compensate I present to you Sping Rain - our spring collection of ten magnificent songs that will come in two bundles. I've had songs I've wanted to post piling up, so here's the first five. You should start with 37 and work your way upwards.

When you've done that, you are welcome to read this paragraph! The Suede Crocodiles is the second band to be featured twice, and this is due not only to the fact that I've now actually got the Stop the Rain compilation (on Accident), but also that this group is very special. If they hadn't split up so soon, they might have got a release on Postcard, and they might be as legendary as Orange Juice are today. The quality of the songwriting is THAT good. When I listened to the record I couldn't believe that every song was as good as the previous one! It's a classic.

DROP 41

The Suede Crocodiles - Paint Yourself a Rainbow

DROP 40

2007-03-13T18:30:00.000Z

Reserve is the first band to get a second DROP on The Rain Fell Down. This is an not an indication that I listen to a limited range of bands, but of the unbelievable greatness of Reserve. This beautiful song is from a demo tape that Ally gave me, called In Strangled Orchards, which I suppose must be from 1987. I don't think Torquil still has the same phone number that is written on the back! Most of the songs are intense and dripping with bile, which makes this song the soothing eye of the storm. This song has never been released. And it is such a shame.

The tide comes in through derelict streets and strangled orchards.

DROP 40
Reserve - Postcard From Paradise

DROP 39

2007-03-13T18:25:00.000Z

Until recently I had never really listened to The Cudgels, who where just a band I associated with Whoosh and Whaaam! But then I found a site apparently created by themselves on MySpace. Their early sound, which is represented there, sort of lumps them together with other Dan Treacy-inspired indiepop bands of the early 90s such as The Bartlebees. But listening to their album God's Children, is a totally different story. Now they've gone psych and the sound reminds me of those two 14 Iced Bears albums. God's Children came out in 1992, one year after Wonder. There are still plenty of pop moments though, as on the brilliant song here. If you like you should head on over to the Waaah! site where you can download the rest of the album.

DROP 39

The Cudgels - Caroline Poet

DROP 38

2007-03-13T18:20:00.000Z

This is the first of two DROPs I would like to give you in connection with Monday's radioprogram. The second one is No. 39, and both are decidedly psychedelic. This band is called The Hangman's Beautiful Daughters, a name they got from an Incredible String Band album. Naturally, Dan Treacy signed them to his then re-baptised Dreamworld label. He plays some keyboards on the 1987 Trash Mantra mini-album, it says on the back. This is the opening track with jangly 12-string guitar and wild vocals. There's also a great cover of Shadows of Knights' "Darkside" if you're interested.

DROP 38
Hangman's Beautiful Daughters - They Fell For Words Like Love

DROP 37

2007-03-13T18:15:00.000Z

This is the first item of Spring Rain - and one of two that you'll enjoy if you liked the Sombrero-themed radio programme last week. (The other is DROP 40 obviously.) "Sun Serious" is a monster of a back-beat pop song and was the b-side of their first single "Drive Drive Drive". It came out as the third release on Ugly Man in 1987 and the a-side was on the first volume of The Sound of Leamington Spa. And they did take their name from the old Del Monte TV commercial. If you're lucky you might find Vinyl Japan's The Good Things In Life compilations for a reasonable price!

DROP 37
The Man From Delmonte - Sun Serious