Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

One more journey through songs that hit the charts and other that are just good.

1957: Buddy Holly

1966: Jr. Walker (I prefer the cover by The Flying Lizards from1979)

1972: Elton John

1978: Meat Loaf

1997: Natalie Imbruglia (not only because she recently said goodbye to the music business)

1966: Spencer David Group

1966: The Beach Boys

1977: Dave Mason

1985: Pet Shop Boys

1965: The Who

1982: Golden Earring

1964: Petula Clark

1970: Gilbert O'Sullivan

1970: Dave Edmunds

1978: Joe Jackson

Music For Houseworks

 

I have already mentioned several times that I am not a big fan of radio programmes. But from time to time I treat myself to this to make some housework more bearable.  Recently, an Austrian radio station ran a long feature about new female groups. I was amazed at how many new bands there were that needed to be talked about.

First of them are eat-girls, a post-punk band from Lyon, France. Their sound embraces pop, post-punk, kraut, minimal synths and some dub and their vocals remind me Kim Gordon, Flying Lizards and a bit of Siouxie. 3 Omens has also a hypnotic beat that you cannot escape. Chapeau.

Girlband! are a three piece female band from Nottingham and shows some rebellious girls. Starting their alternative rock as another DIY-band, playing at private house concerts until the police came and stopped them. Nothing more than another Courtney Love inspired music but fresh, charming and on a high indie-pop niveau.

Who's Afraid Of The 80's? Pt 5

When I bought this record in the late 70's I knew a few songs by the original and was surprised why so called punk bands cover theses classics. During the next years most every new band covered a well known song from the past (thinking about a new short series about covers, done by punk/new wave artists). First I was confused about what they done to these songs - but not for long. Very soon I recognized that they breathed new life into these songs. And most of them were better than the originals. I remember when I played these new versions to some friends and was sad that they didn't open their ears to new sounds. And it is the same until now. You can read in many panels people posting that they closed their ears in the early 80's and are not willing to listen to something new. Even if it is hot or not.

Devo were one of this artists that shocked with their first LP. They reduced their songs to a minimum. From Satisfaction as known by Rolling Stones it reduced to a rattling rhythm and a nervous chorus.

Devo - Satisfaction

Another band that killed the originals were The Flying Lizards. They made the best version of Money I have ever heard. And they did the same with Eddie Cochran's Summertime Blues. Going away from the Rockabilly sound they used a simple keyboard and almost spoken words to make a very new and unique version of this classic song.

Praise the lord that they put a song by The Skids on this record. It might be on of the first punk rock bands from Scotland and they grabbed me with Masquerade. a classic 2:45 minutes masterpiece. It is simple, exciting, dulcet and on heavy rotation almost 40 years ago. A few years later Stuart Adamson formed Big Country and wrote a lot of great songs. But this is a story I told already.

Viva la Viv

I just finishd reading 'Clothes, clothes, clothes, music, music, music, boys, boys, boys' by Viv Albertine and enjoyed it very much. It brought back memories to a time long gone by but still worth to remember because it was one of the best ones in our life. But it was not only the fact that I was reminded to these times I like to book becaus her direct way to articulate and telling the stories of her life from her very own side.Especially the way se discribes her relationship to -the Clash's Joe Strummer and Mick Jones.  I was always a huge fan of The Slits and I bought her first record without ever heared any note of it (I think you'll know the reason). After The Slits disbanded she was still present on records by New Age Steppers and Flying Lizards. By the way: two weeks ago she turned into 60 and I don't know many women that look still quite cute.

And Mick Jones' answer to Typical Girls

Fifty Five

Seems that a couple of mates out there celebrated birthday throughout the last weeks. It's my birthday today and I am fifty five. Another one year older, however, wiser? I don't know and it's not necessary to know it. This song is one of my all time favorites. Released in 1981 Flying Lizards version of Barret Strong's Money is a classic masterpiece of the past-punk and New Wave era. Reduced to the minimum with a steady rhythm the vocals tells us what money can stand for. They did many more excellent cover versions but this one is the best in my opinion.

And, by the way - happy birthday Morrissey!

The Flying Lizards - Money (that's what I want)