FST 110 Newsflash – Real Horror Show

As i wrote earlier this year, we will release the retrospective album by Isle of Sheppey-based NEWSFLASH the next month. This release means a lot to me, for some reasons it will be my favourite retrospective release on Firestation so far. We finally did the master for the album a couple of weeks ago. It took me soome weeks to compile the tracklist for “Real Horror Show“. It was hard work as it was difficult for me to choose the right songs for the album, there were more than 30 tracks in total plus liveversions on various songs. At the end i had to let out some songs from the album as there were no more room to include any further tracks beside the 21 songs which made it onto the compilation eventually. Newsflash were around between the late 80's – early 90's. Their sole 12“ single will always be my favourite indiepop 12“ release beside the ones from Metrotrinity and Episode Four. I still love this record and i remember the day when i first found a copy of it at the bargain floor of Record and Tape Exchange at Shepherds Bush in the summer of 1992. back in those days i spent most of my life at those places. Newsflash were unknown to me when i bought their EP but i was nearly sure that i found something special. The copy i bought came with lot's of promo-sheets and a couple of bandphotos. One of the sheets announced the band's 7“ single which was released soon after the 12“ came out. It took me more than 10 years to locate a copy of it. The untitled 12“ single has three songs on. Both sides of the record are playing the same tracks. “Touch Me“ is a great opener but what really kicked me were both other songs. “Finding Out The Hard Way“ is classic blue eyed soul at it's best. it's one of those rare moments when indiepop meets soul in perfection. I only remember a handful of tracks which worked as great as this. “Al Green“ by Bob Hope or “Northern Soul“ by New Street Adventure came to my mind while thinking about it. The last song on the EP is “White Beats“, a tune which always let me think on East Village, maybe because of the drums and the guitars. Those two tracks still leave me speechless after all those years. Now, more than 24 years after the band released their first record, we are more than happy to put out their retrospective album. Some of the songs are already known among indiepop-collectors, most of all “Englishman“ which was one of the killertracks on The Sound Of Leamington Spa 2. Some other songs are up on youtube, but most of the tracks are still unheard until today! Half of them were taken directly from the original demotapes. Ullrich did a fantastic job again when he was doing the master. “Real Horror Show“ is classic indiepop in perfection! Fans of C86 will love songs as “Tale Of Nothing In Particular“ or the titletrack while those who are into Neo-acoustic will adore tunes as “You Could Be Right“, or “Times Are Tight“, a fab cover on the 70's soul classic by Jimmy Young.
Members of Newsflash are still recording under the name JEL. So far they released a couple of albums and an EP, which you can't afford to miss if you are into classic Indiepop.

 A short note on future retrospective releases. Unfortunately it will not be possible for us any longer to announce any of these before it's pressing status. There are some people out there which are looking out for making money with other people's ideas.


 Tracklist:

 Mundane Me And You
 Times Are Tight
 Finding Out The Hard Way
 Tale Of Nothing In Particular
 You Could Be Right
 White Beat
 Englishman
 Touch Me
 No Clouds Allowed
 Help
 Wherever I Go
 The Hand That Strangles
 Nobodies Home
 First Class To Ruin
 Real Horror Show
 Brought To Light
 She Don't Tell Lies
 That Girl
 Losing
 Wherever I Go (demo version)
 Finding Out The Hard Way (acoustic version)