Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Another week, another journey through the decades with songs that became hits and others that didn't make it, but are still worth listening to again.

1967: The Box Tops

1972: T. Rex

1978: Buzzcocks

1978: Rick James

1994: Stone Temple Pilots

1991: Nirvana

1969: Dusty Springfield

1980: Stevie Wonder

1981: J. Geils Band

1970: Quicksilver Messenger Service

1979: XTC

Urgh!

 

Yesterday's post has tempted me to once again Urgh! A Music War, a film from the eighties. Director Derek Burbridge's concept is simple in principle: go to concerts in London, New York and elsewhere and film the current punk, wave and reggae scene.

The result is a fantastic overview of this music from both sides of the Atlantic. I can still remember having to drive to the next bigger city with some friends to see this film. Some of the artists were known to us by name, but very few of them performed in southern Germany at the time. 

After this film, each of the three of us had a band that we particularly liked and bought a record from them as quickly as possible. For me, it was Echo and the Bunnymen and Gang of Four, who I have followed faithfully ever since.

What also makes the compilation of concert recordings special is that it features musicians who were far removed from the normal clichés of punk, such as John Cooper Clarke and Klaus Nomi.

While the British bands are still holding back, The Cramps and Dead Kennedys show us the true and raw energy that characterized punk.

And finally, some film documents of bands that have unfortunately been forgotten, such as Au Pairs and Alley Cats and bands like Magazine and XTC, who played a major role in shaping new wave and punk.

Forgotten Alternative Part II

 

Another few files I found from a compilation I made a few years ago. First one is a song from Siouxsie And The Banshees from their later period. They became famous in the first wave of punk and their debut is still a classic. On Peek-A-Boo they tried to combine their late post-punk sounds with samples like many others did. Not their best song but in the context of time a good one.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Peek-A-Boo

From Athens, Georgia in 1979 The B-52's appeared on the scene and their self-titled debut was one of the records of the year. A new wave band that played just a retro sound with a Rickenbacker guitar, organs and harmonies was the big thing this year. And Planet Claire is probably one of the best opening tracks of a debut album.

The B-52's - Planet Claire 

In 1987 Andrew Eldritch and his band Sisters Of Mercy released Floodland their second album. The lead single was This Corrosion a melange of gothic meets Meat Loaf with a 50-piece choir. It is a song that worked at this time and was played in many places and brings back memories. Nothing more or less.

Sisters Of Mercy - This Corrosion

XTC were on of the finest new wave bands from their beginnings in the late 70's until the mid 80's. Always on the search for the perfect pop song and always very close to it. I don't know many other bands that made so many remarkable albums in this ear. Still a pleasure to listen to them after decades.

XTC - Senses Working Overtime

I entered the cosmos of Julian Cope with his third album Saint Julian and the lead single World Shut Your Mouth. This song was the beginning of a long lasting fondness to him and his music.

Julian Cope - World Shut Your Mouth

When Power Pop Met Punk

 

I am not the one looking for samplers about an era - especially when it is about the time music turned from pub rock met punk. But another Kids On The Street another superb compilation by Cherry Red records is one of them you can listen to and bringing back memories from ages ago. I don't have to tell much of the artists, so just enjoy these songs once again.

Wah! Heat - Don't Stop The Cracks  

The Records - Girl

Echo and the Bunnymen -Do It Clean

The Membranes - The Sound Of The Suburbs

The Jam - Boy About Town

XTC - Towers Of London

Boomtown Rats - Diamond Smiles

Intrigue Pt. II

 

Let's go back diving in the new/progressive sound of the late 70's where a lot of bands started blew up structures of contemporary music and opened my ears for something that was more real to me than every thing else I heard before. 

Magazine - Back To Nature

Magazine was one of the first post-punk bands that had more than raw energy and anger and released with Real Life a masterpiece that I almost played to death at these days. All songs have a massive depth and hooks other bands didn't had in this era. And they are all well arranged and combined the energy of punk with the classic rock roots. That they influenced many other bands after their first albums is not necessary to repeat. Back To Nature is from their second album Second Hand Delight and a good example why they got all the critical acclaims.

Simple Minds - I Travel (Extended Version)

Formed in Glasgow in 1980 Simple Minds were one of those bands who made a few great albums in their beginnings to get arbitrary during the years. But their early output is still fantastic and still worth to get a listen to. Their legacy? Probably one of those new wave bands that made experiences with synthesizers and built a bridge from their guitar based roots to electronic music. I Travel is the opening track from third album Empires And Dance from 1980.

XTC - Complicated Game

Complicated Game is a song by XTC, a band that started as pioneers of new wave and from their best early album Drums And Wires from 1979. The whole album is one of those that I often played when I was DJing in the early 80's. Not just because I can hear the fun and enthusiasm in every song they made on this record. It was more as a door opener to many other bands from this era. And what talent Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding had they showed us on various later released albums.

No More War

 

When I turn on the news at the moment, the current news about the pandemic has moved into the background. Much more comes to the fore what is currently going on in Russia and Eastern Europe. We are moving backwards and my fear is that order will be restored before the Second World War. I really can't explain what Russian's aim is but I fear that will will go back to the cold war days. Maybe I worry too much but in these days it seems like the western world is going to ruin itself in person and the future will be not the same as we used to have.

Purchased Because Of The Cover

It was in 1979 when I bought the double album Who Is Afraid Of The 80's a compilation of new music filled with a lot of new artists to me. One of the most that impressed me was XTC with Making Plans For Nigel. Colin Moulding and Andy Partridge formed a band in Swindon during the punk evolution but soon turned into  songwriting and overtop arrangements. I really loved this cover reduced their name into a symbol of a face. It is almost 40 years ago since I purchased their third album but it is still worth to listen to their excellent songs that were a few years ahead of the time.

XTC - Life Begins At The Hop
XTC - Making Plans For Nigel
XTC - Scissor Man

Purchased (Not Only) By The Cover

One of the first synth-pop album I purchased was Reproduction by The Human League in 1979 because it was part of a sampler called Who's Afraid Of The 80's featuring very new sounds by Talking Heads, The Ruts, XTC and The Human League. Empire State Human was a song I really played often at my place and I can't explain why I this kind of music became a part of me since. It was different to many others I used to hear and it introduced me into another kind of music. I think without them and their first album I didn't got aware to many other electronic and synth based bands that came after them.

The Human League - Empire State Human
The Human League - Morale .. / You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
The Human League - Zero As A Limit

All Lined Up

In 1981 Barry Andrews formerly XTC and Dave Allen formerly member of Gang of Four formed Shriekback a band that had a little success on the dancefloor charts. They made a unique sound stamped by post-punk and mashed it up with the upcoming sound of dance music. I didn't listen to them for a long time and almost forgot that they ever existed until this song shuffled up a few days ago on my mobile phone. It is still a classic song that showed how post-punk and new wave could work when you turn into a danceable sound. What did we need more than a great bass line and some chanting vocals in a song in these times? Best of both worlds still after all these years and worth to be remembered after all these years.

Shriekback - All Lined Up

Sweet Dreams

During the mid 70's until the early 80's Split Enz the New Zealand rock band formed by Tim Finn were successful in their native country and Australia. I remember the times when I was bored about most of popular music in the mid 70's and was looking for something new. My local record dealer introduced me to Split Enz and Second Thoughts. It was recorded in London an produced by Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera. It was handmade and well arranged music and totally different to many other artists in this decade. Before punk appeared they were one of those few bands that made the difference and I think many bands were inspired by their sound. XTC and Godley & Creme have many influences by Split Enz. And their outfit/performance like in this video were far ahead of their times.

New Wave - Who is afraid of the 80's? Pt 2

As said the last time there were a lot of songs on this compilation that introduced me to a lot of music and sound I didn't heard before. And most of the songs made me curious to more songs of the artists. One of them was The Ruts. I bought their first full album after listening to Babylon's Burning and they didn't disappointed me with their record. It is still a record that was played regular in my house. One of those records that would take me to grave.

The Ruts - Babylon's Burning

999 were a band formed in London in the late 70's but not really punk. They made a crossover between rhythm and blues and pub rock with a very sharp guitar. I don't owe any full album but I always loved their singles. Truly great songs with hooks that still works after decades.

999 - Homicide

Life Begins At The Hop was the first single by a band that had great success in the early 80's. XTC was named as an art-rock band with New Wave roots. I bought their first album Drums And Wires that still is an essential record of the early 80's. Should grab it out of my collection and listen again to songs like Making Plans For Nigel.

XTC - Life Begins At The Hop