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 “Universal“ was released on EMI but seems to be withdrawn before copies made it into the shops.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!!

WE SAVE TEBE

Firestation Records supports www.wesavetebe.de