SOMETHING TO LOOK OUT FOR (PART 2)

I will write some lines on the rather obscure bands which appears on the future “The Sound Of Leamington Spa“-list in the near future, but meanwhile it's time to have some words on bands which still makes it on the list yet for various reasons. The main reason is simple, we haven't update the list since 2007. During the last two years “new“ bandnames appears on the scene which have to be include on the list soon. Also, I found a list of bandnames which i put together back in the early 90's. I haven't heard any songs from most of the bands, but reviews from the past makes me very curious about them. If anyone out there has any infos about the following bands, please get in touch !

THE WILSONS
i once read about them in an fanzine whose name i totally forgot about. Band was around the early 90's and recorded at least one demotape. It's said that they mixed early Aztec Camera with “Luck“-period Style Council. I can't believe and would be a happy man if someone could pass over more infos about them.

AVANTI
Another Aztec Camera-styled band which seems was around the late 80's. No further infos.

HOBGOBLINS
Highly praised by the UK Fanzine scene of the late 80's, i have to say honest that i never heard any songs by them.

TIDDLEY WIDDLEYS
It's said that they once had a flexidisc called “You Just Poured Soup On My Pyjama Top“ released in the late 80's. A fake ? I really wonder why i never saw this record although i've been looking for it since nearly 20 years.

I KNOW A GONDOLA PANDA
Once released a fine 10“ back in the late 80's. Songs like the Haywains on acid makes this one a pearl. Band appears on myspace, but haven't signed in since a year.

HELLO SUNSET
Oh, how i would love to hear their recordings. Feat. Tommy Scott of Space-fame who fronted also great bands as The Australians or The Substitutes. Around in the mid 80's.

HILLSTORMERS
Great name, but never heard any of their songs.

THE GLASS HAMMERS
Sheffield-based four-piece. I once read that they mixed Haircut 100 with the soul of Dexy's Midnight Runners. A good thing !

A BAND CALLED JEFF
Early 90's outfit which once released an ep called “Hope“ on the Horizon label. Never saw it in the shops.

GO BUGGY BABIES
Female six piece from London, released one record on Ugly Records the late 80's. It's said that they mixed up early Everything But The Girl with The Specials.

FIVE GO OFF TO PLAY GUITAR
Short-lived Manchester based five piece feat. then named Johnny Dangerously (now I AM KLOOT) and Penny Priest (remember Manchester North Of England compilation). There was once a single release by them called “Black and Blue“. No idea about it's label.

THE CONSULTANTS
Once had a tape-release on Timebox Records. Not much more is known about them.

INNOCENCE
Jörg Winzer found the band's (as it seems) sole 7“ release a while ago. Five piece from Kent whose songs will let you think on such fine bands as The Waltones or Summerhill. Thanks to Jörg for the photo !

11.59
I once saw them live at Covent Garden back in 1992. Three piece whose songs were not a millions miles away from East Village. Great !

THE POPPYFIELD
Liverpool-based. No further infos apart from an review which describes the band's song's somewhere between Orange Juice and The Monkees.

PRETEND FRIENDS
Oxford based. Once too jangly for the Melody Maker.

SUGARTRAIN
No Idea. It's said that their played songs between the Style Council and The Milltown Brothers.

THE FAMILY WAY
Short-lived band fronted by Graig Gannon (Aztec Camera, The Smiths). I never heard any of their songs. Around in the early 90's.

More obscure stuff to follow soon !

SOMETHING TO LOOK OUT FOR (PART 1)

While having a look on some old wantlists of mine i noticed that there are still a lot of records or bands which i still can't locate. Just found some of those lists in my bedroom the other day and was surprised that the last wantlist i put together dates from september 1997. Over the years i found out that some of the list's records never came out or were withdrawn from it's release.
For the next weeks i will write some words about “lost“ indiepoprecords from the past or bands we're still looking for. First up I put together an list of withdrawn records which i found on my old wantlists. If someone out there as any further infos please feel free to drop us a line !

Here we go:

1. East Village – Break Your Neck 12“ (Label: Head, cataloguenumber: Head 9)

Planned for april 1988. Head Records turned into Sub Aqua soon after. Would have made another classic ! No idea about tracklist.

2. The Company She Keeps – Amanda LP (Label: Cold Harbour, cataloguenumber: Cold 8)

Planned for late 1988.

Tracklist:
What A Girl Wants
Express Interest
Recording Angel
Amanda
Touch On My Emotions
A Little Madness
How The Film Began
A Day In A Balloon
Accolade
The Men Responsible (original version)

Definitely unreleased !

3. The Bloody Marys – Stain LP (Label: Mess, cataloguenumber: Joss 2)

Planned for January 1987. Not so sure about the tracklist, but most of the songs should have end up on FST 057 – Sixteen Hail Marys.

4. Treebound Story – Butler's Cafe LP/CD (Label: Native Records)

Planned for 1989. Adverts for it were placed in the british musicmags back then, unfortunately it never saw the day of light.

5. Kill Devil Hills – Here We Go Again (Label: Roustabout, cataloguenumber: RST005)

Planned for october 1988. Unfortunately the label broke down soon before the record came out. No idea about the tracklist.

6. A Riot Of Colour – Should've Listening To Me 12“ (Label: Play Room Discs, cataloguenumber: PLAYD 004-12)

Planned for march 1988. “Sign Of The Cross“ was recorded as the record's b-side.

7. Bluetrain – LP (Label: Pastell, Germany)

Absolute no idea about this. I once saw an advert in an german mag for this. Was it really ever planned ? Big thanks to Roque and Jalito for release their retrospective cd the last year !

8. Candlestick Park – Re-Invent The Wheel LP/CD (Label: Midnight Music, cataloguenumber: chime 011)

Planned for august 1991. An fine album by ex-The Waltones. Hopefully Cherry Red will release it one day.

9.The Compass Flow – Bush Telegraph LP (Label: Glass, cataloguenumber: glalp033)

Planned for april 1989. Ex The Submarines.

10. The Waltones – Listen To Your Heard 12“ (Label: Medium Cool, cataloguenumber: MC022)
Planned for 1989. Glady these great songs can be now heard on the band's compilation CD, released back in 2007 on Cherry Red.

11. Circus X 3 – Leslie Hope Town LP / CD (Label: Sweatbox, cataloguenumber: SAX 031)
Planned for early 1988. Adverts were placed for it.

12. Circus X 3 – Thunder High 7“/12“ (Label: Sweatbox, cataloguenumber: SAX 033)
Planned for july 1988. It's strange to see that there was even the plan for another single-release although the album never found it's way into the shops.

13. South Of Heaven – Stars Of Heaven Tribute CD (Label: Disques Fridge, cataloguenumber: mrf 14)

No idea about it's planned releasedate. The artwork for this tribute CD to Dublin's finest was created but the record never found it's way into the pressing plant.

Tracklist:

Northern Picture Library – Ammonia Train
Icehead – Every Other Day
Something Happens – All About You
Sean A McDermont & Mary Whelan – Paradise Of Lies
Hey Paulette – Smalltown Reel
Engine Alley – Three Kings' Day
Dr Millar – Leave As You Came
Junkster – 28
Grief – Someone's Getting Tired Of You
Everything But The Girl – Lights Of Tetouan
Baby Snakes – Hey Little Child
Cathal Couglan – Ghost Cars
Screech Owl – Poison River
Muck Savage – Sacred Heart Hotel
7 League Boots – Little England
Peter O'Kennedy – Two O'Clock Waltz
Engine Alley – Before Holyhead
Sultans Of Ping – Never Saw You
Brian – Speak Slowly
The Revenants – So You Know


14. Bradford – Tattered, Tangles And Torn 7“/12“ (Label: Village, cataloguenumber: VILT 104)

Planned for November 1988.
Band signed to another label before this release makes it into the pressing plant. Would be great to find out which other tracks should have been appeared on this withdrawn release.

15. Motorcycle Boy – Scarlet LP / CD (Label: Chrysalis, cataloguenumber: CHR1689)

Planned for september 1989. I heard that there were plans to release it finally this year, so finger crossed !


More to follow soon !

Back in 1991......

In spring 1991 Uwe and I went together with two other friends to Dresden to visit an Indie-Pop-Weekender. We had 40 freshly printed copies of our first fanzine with us. After spending hours in an oldstyle eastern german train, drinking quite some amount of beer, we got lost after arriving at Dresden Main Station as none of us bothered beforehand to investigate the way to the club. Luckily we met Peter from The Legendary Bang, who was supposed to be picked up at the train station, so we joined him. Arriving at the really beautiful space of the club “Die Sekte” we greeted well-known faces of Hamburgs Indie-Pop gang of Marsh Marigold boss Oliver Goetzl. Their current label bands were supposed to play in Dresden. At first performed a really dreadfull band from Dresden but the rest of the weekend was reserved for really brilliant gigs of 5 Freunde, Jesterbells (photo), Red Letter Day or My Guru Says. The party was great, at the last song of 5 Freunde, a cover version of Time Twisters´ hit “Auf Meinem Weg zu Dir”, Uwe and I found ourselves at the microphone suddenly. The after show party was legendary: as I could not find the way to the doss upstairs I partied with Florian of Red Letter Day, Peter Hahndorf (yes, him) and Martin Fuchs (this is a different story) until early morning. Our versions of “Ice Ice Baby”, at that time a hit of the great Vanilla Ice, and “Peter Hahndorfs Dead”, alternatively known from The Golden Dawn, are unforgettable. Finally we ended up in bed for a short 2 hours night. Waking up I could see that Uwe arranged to encounter a 120 cm long doss, his sleep has definitely not been comfortable. The following tour through the city was very interesting and especially for the guys from Hamburg a culture shock as the city of Dresden showed its almost full destruction during 2nd World War drastically. One and a half years after Germanys reunion, hawkers and numerous put down and exploited Trabis, famous cars from eastern Germany, created a special atmosphere, not comparable with Dresden in 2009. The gigs at second night have been as excellent as at first night, I remember most the loads of chats with interesting and charming people from the pop scene. Various friendships were born that weekend. We also could get rid of some of our fanzine copies…

HEY PAULETTE - DEMOS & UNRELEASED

Without a doubt one of the most popular releases in Firestation-history is “Long Ball Into Nowhere“ by legendary Dublin-based band HEY PAULETTE. A compilation contains singletracks, a BBC-session among lot's of unreleased material. We first talked to the band about the possibility to release their backcatalogue in the days when Sound Of Leamington Spa 1 came out, so it took us seven years to release the album finally in 2006. In the early days the tracklist for “Long Ball Into Nowhere“ was different to the final release. It was in the plan to include some more livetracks on the album including an version of “Ceremony“ or an fine track called “Don't Let Your Tea Go Cold“. Plans changed in 2005 when the band sent over the final pressing plant master. The result is history...
Beside the songs which makes it onto the album the band recorded some more amazing demos. Derrick once sent me 12 tracks back in 2003 or 2004. I have to say honest that i can't remember why we didn't include none of these recordings on the album. Derrick once told me that these songs were recorded in the band's early days. Some of the songs show's the band on their best. “See You Sometime“ would have made an great 7“ single release, jangly as hell and not far away from tracks as “Commonplace“ or “Another Poet“. I love the guitarsound on “The Way That You Talk“, another classic ! Both songs were recorded on 8-track. I have to think on the band's faves STARS OF HEAVEN while listening to “Everything I Do“. Next up we have two great popsongs which were called “The Go Between“ and “Miserable As Sin“. “The Girl In Question“ contains an amazing guitarsolo, which makes me dance everytime i hear it ! Side one of the tape closed with another toptune which name is “I Can't Whistle“. The flip kicks of with two live tracks including the album's unreleased titletrack “Longball Into Nowhere“ an fast instrumental. Those twelve “lost“ songs would have made an brilliant album on it's own and shows how special this band was. The tape also includes songs by singer Eamonn which he's recorded with Eileen Gogan of The Would Bee's. But that's another story we have to tell you later about...

The tape's tracklist looks as follows:

See You Sometime
The Way That You Talk
She Just Says...
Smile (It Won't Kill You)
Touched
Everything I Do
The Go Between
Miserable As Sin
The Girl In Question
I Can't Whistle
Did It Ever Enter Your Head To Say Please (live)
Long Ball Into Nowhere (live)