SOMETHING TO LOOK OUT FOR (PART 3)

Last weekend's record fair went well and i had good sales which gave me some room for having a day without recordshopping or e-mail correspondence. Instead i took some beer and had a look at my tape and 7“ boxes which i haven't been through since more than a year both.
Here is what i found:


THE LATE BOYS
Hailed from Sheffield and around the early 90's. Unfortunately i have no further infos about them. “Got This Feelings“ let my popdreams come true! Soulful male vocal indiepop with great chorus let me hope for more, but no surprise, nothing happend (as far as i know).

WHERE'S JULES
One self-released 7“ single in 1987. On “Nothing At All“ they mixed the soul of Fruits Of Passion, the guitars of Aztec Camera and vocals ala Andy Pawlak. A lost classic!!!

ANOTHER TWIN
Not much is known about this very obscure band. Released one fine album, “The Dying Bloom“, in the mid 80's.
Songs as “Simple Chin“ or “Retracing Steps“ will make fans of Felt, Orange Juice or Josef K very happy.

REBECCA FISHPOND
Does this band really existed or was it just a dream? Can't remember where i get their track from, but tell you what, this (for me) untitled song is one of the best 20 indiepoptunes ever written and even more it comes with some of the best lyrics i've ever heard. The line “You thought it was the end of the world when the rain ruined your head“ was stolen from it to name FST 016 after it. Never told that to anyone before, but now it's time to share. If you ask me this song should have become Sarah 001.

AND SO TO BED
Amazing London-based band which was around the late 80's. One 7“ single, released on Timebox Records, simply named “The EP“. Four tracks, four hits, full of jangly guitars somewhere between the first two singles by Laugh and The Close Lobsters.

MAGNIFICO
Some songs from the band's 7 track demotape let me think on Jazz Butcher. Should be hailed from Reading. No further infos.

THAT STRANGE DESIRE
It took me 10 years or so to find a copy of the band's sole 7“ single, “By My Side“, finally in 2002. Both songs are great fun with wonderful female vocals and jazzy guitars.


THE FAMOUS FIVE CLUB
No idea about them. Released a tape on Leeds-based Swell cassette recordings back in the late 80's. It came with a nice poster but without any infos on tracklist or credits. Very minimal indiepop somewhere between early Pastels, Grab Grab The Haddock and Trixie's Big Red Motorbike.

THE PLEASURE MEN
Based in Sheffield. Cool jangly indiepop which let me think on bands as The Love Buttons or Girl Of My Best Friend.

THE GALLEY SLAVES
I was never into their 7“ single that much, but some years ago i received an very nice rehearsal demo-tape by them recorded in 1991 which i think contains some superb songs. I have to think on the Clamheads or Carpenter Joe while listening to such tunes as “Don't Hold A Torch For Me“ or “Sarah Smith“. Cool!!

CANDID BENCH
Wow! Once heard a track by them called “How Embarassing For You“. I was blown away 'cos this tune sounded sooo much like The Brilliant Corners at their best! Would love to hear more!! Band was around the late 80's, no further infos.

TELL HIM HE'S PELE
I once wrote them just because of the great bandname. Didn't listening to their demo-tape since years, but now i've spent the last hour with their tune “Too Much Jesus“, singing all along the chorus and the ba-ba-ba's at the end. Without a doubt, this song would have make an perfect Sha-La-La-release, just next to the Poppyheads!
Band later turned into another group. Shame on me for forgetting about it's name.

SUMMIT UP
One 7“ release. Both tracks from it let me think on bands as The Man Upstairs, Aztec Camera or Raintree County. Another lost classic! “All Right In The End“ was released on band's own label in 1990,

MICHAEL SOMETIMES
ex JOHNNY SAYS YEAH. One sleeve-less 7“ single and lots of demotracks. Nearly as brilliant as their former's band!

POPFEST BERLIN 2010

more inormations here

THE PAINTED WORD – UNIVERSAL “LOST SECOND ALBUM“

Alan McCusker-Thompson's THE PAINTED WORD released the perfect piece of pop in 1986. This jewel was called “Independence Day“ and saw the day of light as 7“ and 12“ on Mother Records. Around the same time the band appeared on legendary tape-only compilation “Honey At The Core“ with an early take of the amazing “Worldwide“. It took three years before signed up to RCA and put out two ep's and the mighty longplayer “Lovelife“. This album became one of my alltime faves from the start, it's scottish pop in it's perfection, somewhere between “High Land, Hard Rain“, “Trapped And Unwrapped“, “Swimmer“ and Fruits Of Passion sole album. Not so sure what happend after “Lovelife“, i was looking out for them year after year. Nearly sure that they called it the day. Gladly i found out about the band's second album “Universal“ back in the late 90's. Released in the year 1995 i was wondering why the hell i never heard about it before. “Universal“ was released on EMI but seems to be withdrawn before copies made it into the shops. I really would love to find out about the reasons for it. After all those years i only saw this cd a couple of times on ebay where it went for 200+. Gladly a good friend from Japan once passed me a cd-r copy of it years ago. “Universal“ starts where “Lovelife“ has ended six years before. Another perfect album done by Alan and i still wonder today why the band never made it onto the top. “My Song“ made my day today, i really think that it's time now for an retrospective by one of the most finest band's ever!!! I don't have the original issue of “Universal“, so i can't include the sleeve of it. Sorry for that!
Anyone out there who can help me out on this?


Universal - Tracklist

Somewhere In The World Tonight
I Dream
Universal
Breathless
The Blues In Your Eyes
Night After Night
Smile
Starlight
Life
This Is My Song

FST 088 THE CHERRY ORCHARD

The next release on our small label will be a collection of the first three records of the wonderful CHERRY ORCHARD, plus eight previously unreleased exta-tracks. The working title is "These Restless Days". The 21-track CD will be out at the POPFEST BERLIN in late july. More infos to come...

TRACKLIST:

So Blind

Build It Up

This Big Love

These Times We Cried

Pennies Made Of Gold

Heartbreak Town

Baby Don't Cry

Lay Your Hands On Me

This Could Be Love

Healing Faith Like Fire

Heaven In Blue Eyes

Build It Up

The Right Train

Deep In The Heart Of Me
All Of This Pain
HighRise
The East Parade
Love Comes To Town
Love Parade
These Times We Cried (demo version)
The Bell

TRAMWAY Interview 1991

I found these sheets at my parents place yesterday. The interview was planned to release in SMUF-fanzine no.2. in summer 1991. I also found some unreleased articles, photos and live- and record reviews.

DEL AMITRI – “LOST“ SECOND ALBUM

DEL AMITRI'S first longplayer saved my life for a some months when i first found out about it in the early days of the year 1990. This selftitled piece of vinyl was released first in 1985 and received it's re-release in 1990 when the boys reached highest places in the charts with such singles as “Nothing Ever Happens“ or “Kiss This Thing Goodbye“. Although i have to say honest, that i enjoy the band's later work, it's a thousand miles away from their early recordings. How much i love their debut-album! Songs as “Heard Through A Wheel“ or “Deveice Yourself“ are still sooo important to me, they sound as great as the first time i was listening to them. Over the years i was wondering often what happend to the band during the “lost“ year's between 1986 – 1989. I finally found out about it when i received the recordings for their unreleased second album some years ago from a very nice person. Shame on me, but i can't remember what was the connection between him and the band back then.
Without a doubt this collection of songs would have made the perfect second album for the band. No idea why it was never released. Maybe they were without an label during those years? Maybe they were not happy with the recordings? As it seems the band recorded those songs soon after their debut album was released. Only one of those tracks ever saw the day of light officialy. “Out Of The Wind“ appeared on an 12“ EP released by the long gone Record Mirror Magazine in 1986. In the early days this record went for high on ebay, to my surprise i noticed that it's available from various places for cheap money now. Some of the “lost“ songs made it on a demo-tape which was compiled in 1987 and which once sold on ebay for 300+. The unreleased album show's Del Amitri on their highest, “Tall People“ and “The Wind In The Wheels“ became my favourite tracks from it. While listening again to all those songs i noticed how important this band is still to me. Maybe i should ask Justin Currie to release them finally? There should be no chance for it, but who knows? It would be a dream come true for me!

Tracklist:

Tears And Trickery
Tall People
The Way I Live Now
Unfinished
The Wind In The Wheels
Love Gone Too Far
Life Going Backwards
Nothing Goes According To Plan
Seven Days
Out In The Wind

FST Youtube-Channel on start

welcome to the wonderful world of HQ videos from lots of firestation bands. yes - even famous bands like RUMBLE STRIPS, THE PIPETTES or THE WOMBATS released songs on our small label. the list will grow...
take a look to the first bunch of videos here

Record- Release- Party

welcome to the record-release-party of firestation records latest cd-album DER ENGLISCHE GARTEN by DER ENGLISCHE GARTEN.
ATOMIC CAFE, Munich
05.March.2010
21.00h

OUT NOW: FST 084 DER ENGLISCHE GARTEN

Official release date in Germany/ Austria/ Switzerland is 05.02.2010 through ALIVE, but you can order your copies direct from our website right now.

The greatest record of this decade...so far.

ONE DAY WHEN THE WEATHER IS FINE - WHY I LOVE THE AURBISONS

You can find full details about bandhistory, line-up etc. on Roque's excellent blog or from the first “Sound Of Leamington Spa“-booklet, so no need to tell you again about it. I first heard the AURBISONS from one of the Blam-A-Bit compilation tapes back in 1990. From the start i fell in love with them. Soon after Olaf and me compiled our first compilation tape. For it i wrote Dave only to found out that my heroes already called it the day. Nevertheless he offered a track from the band's sole demo-tape plus a song from his then current band THE VINEGAR BLOSSOM. Not enough, Dave sent over a collection of both band's recordings. Back in those days classic indiepop did not worked anymore (if you ask me), so i was blown away when i was listening to such amazing tracks as “Ring Collector“, “Holy Cow“ or “Whats Up With Jason“. I met Dave a couple of years later when i was hanging around in London for some record shopping. We went to the Wembley Arena record fair and talked about music for some hours. It was greatest fun and before i left, Dave passed me some more tapes full of recordings. The way back home to Berlin i didn't listening to anything else! What a perfect popband they were!! While listen to tracks as “What Comes Next“ you have to agree that one of their biggest influences were JOSEF K. This song still makes me crazy! When time is on my side i take a couple of beers and play all those tapes with the greatest memories. My good old friend Dave will kill me when i write that he is one of the greatest guitarplayer ever, but to me there are only a few outside which played that perfect. Back in the late 80's Dave and his mates played backing band for another amazing group which called THE MULBERRY CEILINGS. As it seems this band also did not released anything but while listening to their live-recordings you will get the feeling that they were sooo special. They've done coverversions of favourites as “Never Seen Before“ or “The Sun Shines Forever“ and believe me, they done it perfect! Beside this they had a song called “Pillow Crazy“ which contains the most greatest guitarintro i've ever heard!! There was a guy who told me the last year that indiepop is at it's best these days. As it seems he never listening to those bands i'm talking about...i feel sad for him...
I ask Dave on regual basis if there would be a chance for an retrospective featuring all those great songs. Still no chance, but believe me again, i will ask again and again!!