Sexyloser

JC is back ... with a jetlag!

2011-12-06T10:31:00.000+01:00

Aruba Airport

Good morning dearest friends,

just a quickie this morning: I just read that finally our pal JC aka The Vinyl Villain has returned from his holiday in Aruba, suitcases were delayed at the airport, he can't really cope with the cold Glasgow temperatures in comparison and, in addition to this, he suffers from a jet lag. Poor guy, but fucking hell, these things won't happen when going to Weston-super-Mare instead, so it's all your own fault, darling!

In fact I am of course only [A] just a jealous guy and [B] use every opportunity, even as far-fetched as in this context, to herald a I, Ludicrous - revival, which I start with this from their 1987 debut album 'It's Like Everything Else':

I, Ludicrous

I, Ludicrous - 'My Baby's Got Jet Lag' (mp3)

A mighty tune, so enjoy!

Ta,

Dirk

Harold's Leap - 'Too Much Time'

2011-12-01T11:07:00.000+01:00

Good morning my beauties,

suffering from a conjunctivitis is not nice, I can tell you. The only good thing is that you can't go to work, which, let's face facts here, is something I can cope with for a week or so ... after 25 years in business, because it means yiu find time to do things you normally don't have the time for that easily. And this post is but one of them:

quite a while ago I received a CD in the post, out of the blue, sent to me by my mate Tim. Now Tim is the mastermind behind the Contrast Podcast, a site which I highly recommend, especially currently, because the Festive Fifty will be on its way shortly. If you want to vote, by the way, you have another week to do so. Have a look here for further information/instructions.

But back to the CD. I knew actually that Tim was involved in music thingies in one way or another, what I didn't know though is that he is in a band, and in a proper one as well! The CD is by and large marvellous and it really is a good listen throughout! I am no good at all in reviewing music, drawing comparisons, highlighting the positive aspects of some tunes and figure out why it is that others are not as brilliant. I think people should always judge by themselves and therefore here's a tune from said CD for you to do the very same now:

Harold's Leap - 'Feeding The Dumb Glutton' (mp3)

A real corker, isn't it? And the other 13 tunes are just as neat, I would think, although this one is my favourite!

'Too Much Time' is out on Constitution Music and you can find additional information here and you can purchase the CD here.

Please do the necessary,

Dirk

Keepingitpeel Day 2011

2011-10-25T07:39:00.002+02:00

Good morning dearest friends,

as usual it is an honour for me to participate in the annual Keepingitpeel Day, as installed by Webbie from Football and Music. Please find out more about the event on his site. Also my friend JC over at The Vinyl Villain posted some great articles about the event within the last week, so I suggest you have a look at his site as well: some neat songs were being featured there!

I think there are mainly two things we are missing, now that John Peel is no longer with us. The first, of course, is the music he brought to us. But secondly, at least this is true for me, I think we miss his voice a great deal. Therefore, and I hope it meets with your approval, this year I decided to focus a bit more on the voice than on the music, so I dug out a few of my old (from 1989 in this case) BFBS tapes and searched for some of those amusing little stories we all loved John for back then. The sound quality may not be absolutely perfect perhaps, but please don't let that put you off from listening closely!

So, without further ado, here we go:

The Four Brothers - 'Rumbidzai' (mp3) ..... before and after which

John gives us a lengthy report about his 50th birthday party!

Stack Waddy - 'I'm A Lover Not A Fighter' (mp3) .... before and after which we hear an amusing story about how Stack Waddy are connected with a most bizarre drinking ritual!

Bolt Thrower - 'Through The Eye Of Terror' (mp3) ... after which we learn that music can really connect different cultures, including the French people!

Well, I do hope indeed you enjoyed my choices and please remember to keep it Peel: not only today, but everyday!

Any comments would be, of course, highly appreciated.

Cheers,

Dirk

I want one of those for Christmas!!!

2011-09-29T17:08:00.000+02:00

Dearest friends,

I know that most of you all sit around already, doing nothing else but contemplating about what you might possibly could get me for Christmas: there is no need to waste your time any longer, folks, because, yes, I felt your desperation and will herewith help you out of your misery!! Just spend a little bit of your money in visiting www.supersizeart.com and get me one of those, please:

Now, isn't that neat indeed? The best record in the history of the whole world ever, but measuring almost four times the original size of the single at 27"/68 cm square. And, even better, just like the original single you can select the sleeve to be in blue, pink, green or yellow. The lucky chap pictured above, by the way, is Don Letts, D.J., musician and film-maker ('Westway To The World')..

But, as you might already have gathered, there is a catch in this, as it so often is the case in life: those imbecile villains want 380,- (!!) quid for the item, can you believe that to be true?! That's 440,- Euros for the rest of Europe .... and the weak Pound doesn't help a great deal here!

Then again I know that you all love me to no degree and that you, contrary to me, are all loaded anyway, so just leave a comment when you bought me one of those for Christmas and I'll provide you with an adress where you can send it to .... and, before I forget, I'd like to have a yellow one, okay?

Here's the tune:

mp3: The Clash - '(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais' (S CBS 6383, June 16th 1978)

... and, because I know it will meet with your approval, a version you probably don't hear all that often:

mp3: The Clash - '(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais' (live at The Orpheum in Boston, USA, 07.09.82)

Cheers .... and thanks beforehand,

Dirk

"I Love My Label ..." (Pt. 3: Beggars Banquet)

2011-08-26T09:00:00.000+02:00

Good morning my beauties,

another one in the 'I Love My Label' - series, this time we'll have a closer look at the Beggars Banquet back catalogue. A label I was very fond of in the eighties as they had quite an immense volume of great artists under contract. Here's some historical background for you, friends:

Beggars Banquet is a legendary UK indie label launched by Martin Mills in 1977 with two 7" singles by punk band The Lurkers. Over the years, Beggars has released music in nearly every genre imaginable - punk, goth, synth-pop, folk-rock, indie and more. They have launched several spin-off labels (4AD, Situation Two, City Beat, XL Recordings...) and bought out/invested in many others (Too Pure, Mo Wax, Matador...), creating Beggars Group, one of the largest networks of indie record labels in the world.

In April 2008 the Beggars Group, chaired by Martin Mills, opted to retire the Beggars Banquet imprint, moving key artists to the Beggars Group owned 4AD label.

So here come my choices: songs by bands, as I said above, I always admired:

Bauhaus - 'Ziggy Stardust' ["The Singles 1981 - 1983" - EP, BEG 100 E, '83]

The Bolshoi - 'Fly' ["Giants" - EP, SITUM 15, '85]

Buffalo Tom - 'Birdbrain' ["Birdbrain" - LP, SITU 31, '90]

The Charlatans - 'The Only One I Know' [12", SIT 70 T, '90]

The Cult - 'Nirvana' ["Love" - LP, BEG A 65, '85]

Dream City Film Club - 'Fuck It Up'
["In The Cold Light Of Morning" - LP, BBQ LP 207, '99]

The Fall - 'Oh! Brother' [12", BEG 110 T, '84]

The Go-Betweens - 'Streets Of Your Town' [7", BEG 218, '88]

The Hank Wangford Band - 'Never Wear Mascara (When You Love A Married Man)'

["Rodeo Radio" - LP, SITU 16, '85]

Love And Rockets - 'Haunted When The Minutes Drag'

["7th Dream Of Teenage Heaven" - LP, BEG A 66, '85]

The Lurkers - 'Ain't Got A Clue' [7", BEG 6, '78]

The Mighty Wah! - 'Come Back' [7", BEG 111, '84]

The Ramones - 'I Wanna Live' [12", BEG 201 T, '87]

Well, not THAT much of information included in today's post, I admit. But then again you have a bulk of killer tunes to download and everyone of them's a winner if you ask me! So have fun, enjoy .... and leave comments, please!

All the best,

Dirk

French Connection

2011-08-22T18:06:00.013+02:00

Bonsoir mes amis,

did you notice that everybody's seems to be doing it the French way these days? Literally ALL of my favourite blogs recently had at least one post connected with, in one way or another, music out of France:

Drew @ Across The Kitchen Table did some really nice Jacqueline Taieb, then you have Webbie from Football And Music with a podcast named 'French France', Phil Spector @ Plain or Pan featured Sly Et La Famille Pierre here, Adam from Pretending Life Is Like A Song did this one ('En Francais'), Adam @ Bagging Area did 'Les Fleur' and Davy H. contributed this article over at The Ghost Of Electricity. And all of them write little essays about the merits of eating moules (or, some of them (ignorants!!), the merits of NOT eating moules) in the comment sections. Now, eating moules in vast amounts is something I can indeed cope with, and in fact I did so two weeks ago whilst being on holiday on the Dutch seaside .... and very good they were too, my moules (Spanish style, should you be wondering), highly recommendable! I only wish I would get them over here in Germany more often .... that fresh and at reasonable prices!

Now, as I don't want to be the kid noone plays with, I dug out a very useful compilation called 'The Atomic Café - French Cuts', a double LP I used to play heavily when it came out back in 1999. The vinyl, alas, occasionally proves that I really must have played it to death back then. But then again there's loads of great stuff on it, so much so that I don't have any problems in not being able to play to you those tracks that are by now by and large unplayable .... to my geat dismay: nevertheless, 'cos, as you might imagine, the ones that are REALLY good are the ones that are mostly destroyed. But the rest is just fine as well, so here you go!

Compiled by djs of a Munich club, this sampler concentrates on the more garage-like, obscure, unknown and otherwise unusual and fun tracks .... which makes it all even more worthwile to listen to. So, here are a few tracks from 'The Atomic Café', perhaps not really the most unknown of the whole lot, I should admit:

Brigitte Bardot - 'Harley Davidson' ('67)

Gillian Hills - 'Tut Tut Tut Tut' ('69)

Stella - 'Beatnicks D'Occaison' ('67)

Jacques Dutronc - 'Le Responsable' ('69)

Charlotte Leslie - 'Les Filles C'est Fait ..' ('66)

What else do I have for you? Some classics from yesteryear, not as old as the above and styled completely differently, but I thought I'd give you a listen anyway .... I still like 'em a lot and I hope you do too. I have a feeling though that (at least) the latter two are not French bands at all, but then again they fitted oh-so-nicely into this 'Les ....' - context and, even more importantly, both are killer tunes, so I thought I'd better be not too pedantic and pack 'em in as well:

Les Coronados: 'C'est Le Soir' ('84)

Les Rita Mitsouko: 'C'est Comme Ca' ('86)

Les Calamités: 'Le Garcon De New York' ('84)

Les Negresses Vertes: 'Zobi La Mouche' ('89)

Les Thugs: 'Never Get Older' ('86)

Les Trois Frommages - 'La Tartiflette' ('06)

Les Breastfeeders - 'Ostrogoth A Go-Go' ('04)

Well, that's it, enough for today, friends. Have fun and enjoy your evening with a good bottle of French red wine: I'll rush down to the garden and will do the very same in a second!

Salut et au revoir,

Dirk

Little Loser's Lottery .... Pt. 3

2011-04-14T12:18:00.000+02:00

Hello friends and followers everywhere,

I hope this little something finds you well and in good shape, I, personally, can't complain, although, as usual, time on me own is rare these days for reasons well known to you all by now, I would think.

Nevertheless yesterday afternoon I used the time I spent together with Little Loser (two an a half years by now) very well, so much so in fact, that I forced him to choose six records out of the collection. Normally I would have expected him to tell me to bugger off, but no: we had one of these very rare occasions in which he promptly did what I asked him to do, believe it or not, so there you are!

Although this is part three of the series, means I did it before (obviously), I was inspired to do it again yesterday by London Lee, who does the same thing with his son in his wonderful blog, 'Crying All The Way To The Chip Shop'. He calls it 'Junior Choice' and Junior seems to have a splendid taste, that's for sure.

Now, in order to create more space for Mrs Loser's unbelievable amount of silly nonsense, I recently was forced to rearrange the shelves on which my records were and I had to store them in a different place, a much smaller one. This meant less room altogether, the conclusion was that I had to give up seperating full length albums from 12" singles and compilations: everything is now filed in alphabetical order, regardless of the format. Apart of the 7" singles, obviously, those are in two different boxes on their own.

Little Loser, in his own strange wisdom, managed to trace 12" singles only (plus one compilation, I admit), but no albums at all. And, most curiously, the bulk of them are from 1987. He is a strange kid sometimes, let me tell you.

Okay, enough of that, here's what he found:

The Bollock Brothers - 'Harley David' (mp3)

(12", 1987, Play It Again Sam Records)

The Ramones - 'Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)' (mp3)

(B-Side of 'I Wanna Live', 12", 1987, Beggars Banquet Records)

Underworld - 'Born Slippy (NUXX)' (mp3)

(from the 'Trainspotting' - compilation, 1996, EMI Records)

Helen Love - 'Shifty Disco Girl' (mp3)

(7", 2000, Ché Trading)

Ted Chippington - 'The Wanderer' (mp3)

(12", 1987, Vindaloo Records)

Lene Lovich - 'Lucky Number' (mp3)

(12", 1979, Stiff Records)

All in all not too bad, I would think .... I do hope you agree .... and, yes, of course, enjoy!

Have fun, see you soon!

Dirk

Lottery Winners On Acid

2011-01-31T18:03:00.001+01:00

Hello my beauties,

I bet most of you would have severe difficulties to name your 10 favourite songs of all time (a definitive + unchangable list, preferably having to be done in front of a loaded machine gun if you know what I mean). I certainly couldn't do it .... and I'm trying very hard to do it in my head for some 20 years now. There are three or four songs that would make it on said list, and this is but one of them.

I don't know awfully much about The Crimea, I have a full length CD flying around somewhere and it might even be worth listening to in its entirety, the problem though is that I always keep coming back to this tune, 'Lottery Winners On Acid'. In my humble estimation it certainly is one of the best songs ever written and here it is to you in two versions, first from the original CD, which came out on Shiny Beast Recordings in 2002, and also the re-release, a 2006 7" on Warner Reords.

Hard to tell which one is to be prefered, I think both of them are simply awesome and, dear Crimea: thanks ever so much for this piece of music. With it alone you certainly have achieved much more than I would ever be able to achieve in all of my life!

The Crimea - 'Lottery Winners On Acid' ('02) (mp3)

The Crimea - 'Lottery Winners On Acid' ('06) (mp3)

Also I feel like a lottery winner meself, at least a little bit, because a few days ago I received an email from Craig who runs a t-shirt mailorder shop in the UK, "Mr Cloud" ... and some very nice stuff he offers there, too. Well, in his email he offered me a shirt for free (I chose a Sonic Youth shirt, should you want to know) if I mention his shop on Sexyloser ... and it is my pleasure to do the very same here. Also he offered me to provide me with a recording of the last Christmas show John Peel did: I already have that one, Craig, but thanks for the idea!

The link is www.mrcloud.com so I strongly suggest you have a look and choose something nice for you and/or your beloved ones!

Enough for today, as usual any comments are highly appreciated!

Take good care,

Dirk

"I Love My Label ...." (Pt. 2: Rough Trade Records)

2011-01-17T12:47:00.000+01:00

Good morning dearest friends,

The advantage of having had a burst appendix is that the doctor thinks I need two more weeks to recover from the experience, this means I have quite some time which I can spend in front of the computer and write silly nonsense, as it is the case right now.

Okay, as for the second part of 'I Love My Label ...', this time I had a go at Rough Trade Records. Not an easy thing to do, because the amount of stuff they released over the years by various artists is immense at the very least. But I think I found some neat tunes and I do hope you share this opinion. This is what I want to play to you today:

Detroit Cobras - 'Right Around The Corner' (mp3)

A cover to start with, but one of a neat tune indeed, originally done by The Five Royales. The Detroit Cobras to me surely were one of the best five 'new' bands in the last decade, all of their stuff is outstandingly good and I'll never become tired to listen to Rachel Nagy's wonderful voice, they indeed are a highly recommended band! This song is from their second album, 'Life, Love And Leaving' (RTRADCD067) from 2001. Pictured above is the front cover of the US release, but it was on Rough Trade in the UK.

The Go-Betweens - 'Cattle And Cane' (mp3)

Again a great song, but not my favourite one by The Go-Betweens. As it so often is the case, I like the earliest recordings best ('People Say' for instance), those though were issued on the Able Label and not on Rough Trade. This doesn't mean that 'Cattle And Cane' is a bad song in one form or another, the only problem might be that you know it already by heart. For those of you who don't: it's from the band's second album, 'Before Hollywood', released as ROUGH54 in the UK back in 1983.

James - 'Chain Mail' (live) (mp3)

'One Man Clapping' was the third full length release from James, a live album which came out in March 1989. The album was recorded at the Moles Club, Bath, UK on the 14 and 15 November 1988. The album was issued on their own One Man imprint of Rough Trade Records (One Man 1 LP), after parting company with Blanco y Negro/Sire. So at least Rough Trade are a bit involved in here, reason enough to play to you this wonderful tune! Hope it brings back memories to those of you lucky enough to having had the chance to see James play live back in the 90's ....

Mazzy Star - 'Blue Flower' (mp3)

Led by goddess Hope Sandoval, here's to you Mazzy Star: their debut album, released in 1990, is a real treasure. It was also released on Capitol Records back then in the States and in Canada, but for the UK it was ROUGH 158. 'Apparently 'Blue Flower' is a cover by a band called Slapp Happy, they wrote the song in 1972. I must admit I never heard the original and I am not sure whether I want to hear it at all: I'm afraid it may destroy what I like so much about Mazzy Star's version.

Pere Ubu - 'Final Solution' (mp3)

Okay, I have to cheat a bit here, but the song really is a highlight and I have to find a way to file it under Rough Trade in one form or another. It was originally released as a 7" on Hearthan in the US in 1976, a pressing of 3000. Then, in June 1980, Rough Trade UK re-released it, again as a 7", but with a different B-Side and titled the whole package 'Datapanik In The Year Zero-A' as RT 049. But, to make life even more complicated, Radar Records, back in 1978, also released a 7"-EP called 'Datapanik In The Year Zero', this though doesn't contain 'Final Solution' at all. Either way, it really is a gem, this tune, so please enjoy and play it loud loud loud!

The Smiths - 'Jeane' (mp3)

Of course this post wouldn't be complete without having chosen something by The Smiths out of the Rough Trade back catalogue. Not an easy task, as you might be able to confirm, because obviously they have released so many good records over the years. This one though is one you don't hear all that often, the B-Side of the 'This Charming Man' - 7", 'Jeane': RTT 136, 1983.

The Sundays - 'Here's Where The Story Ends' (mp3)

From the album 'Reading, Writing And Arithmetic' (ROUGH 148 from 1990). Lead vocals by the awesome Harriet Wheeler, who, one would think, has been listening to The Cocteau Twins quite a lot when she was a bit younger: nothing wrong with that, I suppose ....

Young Marble Giants - 'Final Day' ('80)

A total classic which I'm sure all of you know by heart, some 31 years (Jesus, is that really true? I'm afraid it is ....) after it's release. No reason not to play it again .... because I rule and I like it a lot! A 7", catalogue number was RT 043.

As mentioned previously, bearing the quantity of the Rough Trade back catalogue in mind, this wasn't that easy all in all. I do hope though that you enjoyed my choices. Any comments, verifying the same, or not, if you'd rather, are of cause highly appreciated. As usual.

Cheers,

Dirk

Kids ...

2011-01-13T11:48:00.002+01:00

Hello my beauties,

not that I want to bore you here with personal details, but I spent the last weeks with severe pain in my guts, and in the end, after having visited a million different doctors between Christmas and New Year, it turned out to be a burst appendix. This little something has by now been removed from the inside of my pretty body and I'm back from hospital where I spent all of last week thinking beautiful thoughts. Mostly two things came to mind when I lay there, first:

- my water bed is the fucking best purchase I ever made in all of my life (apart perhaps from the four 7" singles of The Clash's 'White Man in Hammersmith Palais' (all in different sleeve colours) and perhaps also the original Undertones' 'Teenage Kicks' 7" EP on Good Vibes, the one with the fold-out sleeve): hospital beds are no fun to deal with if you have a water bed waiting for you at home: you can write that down and use it for yourself if you like!

and secondly:

- my son (and yes, my wife as well). I mean, they visited me every day and so on, but I really missed Little Loser a geat deal as soon as he had to leave each day. Nearly cried when he shut the door behind him ... and the nights weren't easy for me all alone without him.

So it's songs about kids today. Don't care too much about the song titles, they mean nothing much and don't reflect any of my personal views whatsoever. It's just three songs I like a great deal, this and the fact that they all have 'kids' somewhere in the title is the only thing they have in common. So here we go, friends, enjoy:

Sportique - 'The Kids Are Solid Gold' (mp3)

... and indeed they are, well: most of the times. A nice little UK 7" from 1998 on Roxy Records, ROX004 in fact.

Vampire Weekend - 'The Kids Don't Stand A Chance' (mp3)

Their best song ever in my humble opinion! I mean Vampire Weekend are a brilliant band for sure, but this tune is very hard to match indeed and I don't think they'll ever succeed in doing so. A white vinyl 7" on XL Recordings, home of the mighty Ballboy, people, and released in 2008. XLS 399 is the catalogue number.

The Indelicates - 'We Hate The Kids' (mp3)

Outstandingly brilliant as well, as pretty much of their stuff is. Another 7", this time from 2006 on Sad Gnome Records (SG0601) and thanks to the nice guy who runs the label: he gave this 7" to me from Norway for small money out of his private collection, although it is long out of print! Thanks again, mate!

Three killer tunes in a row and I do hope you are delighted to get the chance to hear them here on Sexyloser, people! I certainly am ...

Enjoy,

Dirk

Recent Purchases ...

2011-01-11T11:24:00.000+01:00

Good morning friends,

I think I told you before that I'm selling most of my record collection on discogs (go to discogs.com and search for seller 'fullofhope', should you be interested to buy a little something. I'd be more than pleased, of course, because Little Loser needs new shoes constantly), but occasionally I still see an old 7" here and there that I always wanted to have and then I buy it. A contradiction in terms if you like, but that's the way it is, I'm afraid. Now, rather recently I found those three little gems and I thought I'd share them with you, because it really is quite extraordinary stuff indeed, at least as far as I'm concerned:

Joe Strummer with Long Beach Dub All Stars - 'Harder They Come' (mp3)

A nice version of the Jimmy Cliff favourite and on red vinyl as well (I always like that). Seems to be some sort of white labelled bootleg, the etching reads STRUM 1, but I'm afraid that's all I can tell you about this single, there is no recording or label info whatsoever, although I think it was released in 2009. There are two other tunes on it, a live version of 'Harder They Come' (quite why the 'The' (Harder They Come') from the (original) title disappeared without a trace I don't know either) plus a live version of 'Rudi, A Message To You', both done along with The Mescaleros.

The Marabar Caves - 'Seeds That Never Grew' (mp3)

Again I first heard this on Peel in another century and I always thought it is an astonishing recording indeed. Then a few weeks ago I got my hand on a mint copy of the 7" for little money, so here it is to you, friends. And also again there ain't pretty much I can tell you about the band, I think they are British, the 7" was released in 1984 on Tiki Records (MBAR1) and 'Seeds That Never Grew' (only) is the B-Side (of 'Sally's Place'). Astonishingly enough, because, at least as far as I'm concerned, it is the much better tune. I wouldn't really know how to describe it to you in style (a mixture between bass-driven rockabilly and strong power-pop perhaps, if you'd force me to name something), I suggest though to download it and judge by yourself: the song really is worth a few seconds of your internet time! The Marabar Caves actually are in somewhere in India, but I'm sure you knew that all along ....

King Short Shirt - 'Nobody Go Run Me' (mp3)

A mighty tune!! Alas, as with so many of these original Caribbean releases, without a picture sleeve. King Short Shirt was (and still is, as far as I know) a cult figure in Antigua, and this 1976 track really proves why this is. Again a B-Side, the A-Side being 'Tourist Leggo', from a single on Weed Beat Records (WB 031). Do yourself a favour, folks, and listen to this at immense volume!

Okay, I hope you enjoyed my choices for this week, there is more to follow soon. As soon as a certain CD arrives in the post, something I'm waiting for for quite a while now and I do hope the British Postal Service didn't lose it in the snow along the Festive Season: I'll take them to court should this really turn out to be the case, promised!

Have fun and all the very best,

Dirk

"I Love My Label ...." (Pt. 1: Creation Records)

2010-12-03T22:35:00.000+01:00

Good evening friends,

the title above refers to an old tune by Nick Lowe and is the start of a - hopefully - ongoing series in which I choose a record label I quite like and play you some tracks from the artists it feature(d).

I decided to start with Creation Records, because the stuff they brought out over the years is a) corresponding to the weather we currently have (all snowed in and rather mellow altogether) and b) simply outstanding at times!

I shamelessly copy/paste Wikipedia here to tell you a little something about the label (of course you know it all already anyway): Creation Records was a British independent record label headed by Alan McGee. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation, whom McGee greatly admired.

So, without further muttering about, here come the songs. Randomly chosen, by and large, because Creation issued such a vast amount of stuff by so many brilliant bands ... it really was very difficult indeed to select just a few:

(1) The Bodines - 'Therese' (mp3).

The band's second single, originally released in 1986 as CRE 028. Also to be found on the fantastic label compilation 'Purveyors Of Taste', CRELP 010, 1986.

(2) The Boo Radleys - 'It's Lulu' (mp3)

From their 'Wake Up!' - LP, released in 1995, catalogue number CRELP 179.

(3) Felt - 'I Didn't Mean To Hurt You' (mp3)

Again taken from the aforementioned compilation, 'Purveyors Of Taste' (CRELP 010, 1986). To my best knowledge this was the first time the song was released, at least I don't know of any inclusion on an album or 12".

(4) The Jasmine Minks - 'Cold Heart' (mp3)

A stunning song which still sends shivers down my spine after all those years. Released as a 12" under CRE 025T back in 1986.

(5) The Jazz Butcher - 'Lot 49' (mp3)

From their 'Fishcotheque' - LP, released as CRELP 027 in 1988. Also to be found on another label - compilation: 'Doing It For The Kids' (CRELP 037, 1988).

(6) The Jesus And Mary Chain - 'Rocket' (mp3)

Their first album was a milestone, so were the first few singles. This tune though is not that old, from 1998 in fact, but just as perfect, at least in my humble opinion. From the band's 'Cracking Up' - CD (CRESCD 292).

(7) The Loft - 'Up The Hill And Down The Slope' (mp3)

The Loft later became The Weather Prophets, but before they did so, they released this gem: a 12" which came out as CRE 015T in 1985.

(8) Primal Scream - 'You're Just Dead Skin To Me' (mp3)

Yes, yes .... I know you had all been expecting 'Velocity Girl', this though is quite different, nevertheless equally good. Also it is a song you don't hear all that often, so there you are: again from a label - compilation, this time from 'Do You Believe In Love?', CRELP 063 from 1990.

(9) The Times - 'Lundi Bleu' (mp3)

The definitive reading of the old favourite, I'm sure you agree. Again from a label-compilation (mind you, they did have quite a few, didn't they? And all of them were outstandingly good!) called 'Sorted, Snorted & Sported'. CRELP 117, 1991. One year later it was released on it's own (as a 7"/12"/CD, you know what I mean) as CRE 114.

Well, what do you think? Rather fine tunes, I would say!! I hope you enjoy them and also I hope you leave a comment or two .... I would be more than pleased! Also, of course, should you have any suggestions about how to proceed in this series, just call out!

Have fun,

Dirk

A mixtape .... and why not?

2010-10-30T13:22:00.000+02:00

Hello dear friends,

Mrs Loser, together with Little Loser are away for a few hours now (@ the neighbours, preparing food for a Halloween/Birthday party, which is going to take place tomorrow evening. I'll turn up as a mummy there, should you want to know ...).

Either way, I used the time on me own to mow the lawn (for the last time this year I hope) and then went to the computer and listened to some tunes from yesteryear. And whilst doing so I thought to myself: 'Hold on, why not share this stuff with the five blighters who occassionally read this blog?' And there you are, friends, a mixtape for you! Nothing special, just a few songs I listened to earlier today, that's it. I like them a lot, and I hope you do too. I only used songs not dating prior to 1990, because I thought, okay, if one or two people leave comments, perhaps this gives you the chance to do another mixtape of songs from even an earlier period, the one that I like best (1976 - 1989) .... so let's wait and see, shall we?

So here's what I spent my morning with, in no particular running order ....:

(1) Mr Symarip - 'I Was Busted' ('06)
(2) Detroit Cobras - 'Shout Bama Lama' ('04)
(3) Midwich Cuckoos - 'Show Me' ('90)
(4) Harrisons - 'Man Of The Hour' ('07)
(5) Louie - 'Dead Man' ('06)
(6) Clinic - 'The Return Of Evil Bill' ('00)
(7) Mo Ho Bish O Pi - 'Hear The Air' ('00)
(8) Spoon - 'Jonathon Fisk' ('02)
(9) Pulp - 'O.U. (Gone, Gone)' ('92)
(10) Jesus & Mary Chain - 'Rocket' ('98)
(11) Inter - 'Happy Ending' ('97)
(12) Broken Family Band - '12 Eyes Of Evil' ('03)
(13) Raymen - 'Buzzsaw Baby Of The Hollywood Hills' ('90)
(14) Shane McGowan & The Popes - 'Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway' ('00)
(15) Crimea - 'Lottery Winners On Acid' ('03)
(16) Electrelane - 'I'm On Fire' ('03)
(17) M.A.S.S. - 'Hey Gravity' ('02)
(18) Pooh Sticks - 'Young People' ('91)
(19) McLusky - 'Alan Is A Cowboy Killer' ('02)
(20) Metal Mike - 'I Don't Like This World Anymore' ('91)
(21) Soledad Brothers - 'Break 'Em On Down' ('02)
(22) NOFX - 'Kill All The White Man (live Hollywood '95)

Hope you had fun with that, friends. I certainly had.

Leave comments. Please.

Cheerio,

Dirk

October 25th: Peel Day

2010-10-25T01:15:00.004+02:00

left picture: Peel & me in a London pub, 1988 or thereabouts. Jesus, look at that haircut! And, even worse, that jacket: I look like a fugitive from East Germany!!

right picture: at Peel Acres, a few days later: in the background you see a small (!) part of just one (!) of the four (!) double-sided (!) shelves where Peel stored his 7" singles in!!

Dearest friends,

yes, yes, I know: three posts within one month, so you might think 'what the hell is wrong with this guy ... nothing happens for half a year and now he is bombing us with articles!' Be relieved to learn though that I just do this in order to draw your attention to the fact that today is October 25th!

Six years ago on this very day I was honeymooning in Jamaica, me and Mrs. Loser were driving in a hired Jeep from Negril all the way to Port Antonio, rather a hard drive because of the bad roads, but nevertheless fun fun fun ... which came to a sudden stop when reaching the suburbs of Kingston: it was announced on the radio that John Peel had died. Now, this, to date, has been the greatest shock in all of my life, I can't remember anything that hit me that hard so far. Peel had not only been a hero for me since I first heard him on BFBS back in 1983, over the years he became a true friend. Whenever I was in London we would meet up and have a few beers together and he always was friendly and honest to me. Never bad tempered or arrogant, nothing like that, never! I know this may sound rather silly for you to say, but losing him was like losing a close family member .....

Now, Webbie over at the Football And Music - blog had a brilliant idea, and I immediately decided to participate. I think the easiest will be to quote him here:

"There once was a Radio 1 led John Peel Day, but they stopped doing it a few years ago.

The day is still commemorated and kept running with various events taking place at places around Europe, but my fear is like with 6 Music this day is slowly being killed off.
We shouldn’t forget his memory and should not forget his legacy. All those bands, all the music that we discovered thanks to him.

There should be a web version of the John Peel Day, with this one being commemorated by all the bloggers, tweeters, LJ users and tumblr’s out there. If you are Facebook then please join in too.

So on the 25th October 2010 I want everybody to post a Peel Session track by any of their favourite bands.
That date, you’ve probably already worked out, is the date when we lost the great man…

This was partly inspired by JC using the same idea he had with the Paul Haig Day and I hope that he and all his fellow writers will join in to support this one."

Well, there ain't very much more to say to that, right? Apart from the fact perhaps that you should pop over at Football And Music and have a look what the other contributors have to say/post. As far as I'm concerned, I use the opportunity to play to you not one, but ten of my favourite Peel Session - tracks .... and here we go:

The Frantic Elevators: 'Hunchback Of Notre Dame' (mp3)

25/02/1981 - TX - 03/03/1981

The Buzzcocks: 'Promises' (mp3)

18/10/1978 - TX - 23/10/1978

Culture: 'Lion Rock' (mp3)

11/12/1982 - TX - 11/01/1983

The Cure: '10:15 Saturday Night' (mp3)

04/12/1978 - TX - 11/12/1978

Laurel Aitken: 'Rudi Got Married' (mp3)

28/04/1980 - TX - 12/05/1980

The Screaming Blue Messiahs: 'Let's Go Down To The Woods And Pray' (mp3)

24/07/1984 -TX - 02/08/1984

Stiff Little Fingers: 'Nobody's Hero' (mp3)

03/09/1979 - TX - 17/09/1979

That Petrol Emotion: 'V2' (mp3)

11/06/1985 - TX - ?

The Undertones: 'Rock 'n' Roll' (mp3)

21/01/1980 - TX - 23/01/1980

The Mighty Wah!: 'Basement Blues'/'Story Of The Blues' (mp3)

22/08/1984 - TX - 17/09/1984

And, finally, here's the great man himself. This was recorded by the BBC's answering machine one day before John Peel died whilst being on holiday in Peru:

John Peel Phone Call 24.10.04 (mp3)

Webbie, again thanks a lot for your idea and I do hope that it helps us all to 'keep it Peel' indeed!

Have fun,

Dirk

Link Problems

2010-10-01T07:10:00.000+02:00

Dearest friends,

I just found out that something must have changed with the download links for the post below and also for previous posts: in the past you just had to click the yellow mp3 links with the right side of your mouse and then you were able to download directly.

If you try to do this now, you will fail. Quite why this has happened I don't understand, but either way: you now have to click with the left side, then another site will open up (in German, it's Google Groups: that's where I 'store' my music) and you can easily download from the link shown there.

Rest assured this is no spam/virus thingy ... it's safe, so just do it.

Cheers,

Dirk

Little Loser's Lottery Pt. 2

2010-09-30T19:04:00.007+02:00

Good morning Vietnam!!

Oh boy, AGES since I my last contribution to this site, and whose fault is this?! Not mine, I assure you, no, it's my son, Little Loser (pictured above in all of his cuteness), who demands my attention as soon as I enter the front door in the afternoon when I come home from work. Sometimes he wouldn't even allow me to get my jacket off before I have to lift him up and give him a hug .... which doesn't stop until he falls asleep some five hours later. Not the hugging, demanding attention that is! But I won't complain, because he turned two years three weeks ago and by now is cool as fuck! He understands every word I say (although most of the times he doesn't do what I want him to do, but that's another story) and spending time with him gives me enormous pleasure!

Now, a few days ago I dragged him to the shelf where my 12" singles are and I forced him to pick five of them. He, being a good son, immediately started doing so by choosing the last one in the row, the one that was the easiest for him to grab with his little fingers .... and there went my copy of the Yeah Yeah Noh 'Peel Sessions' 12", because he smashed it on the floor and of course the record fell out of the sleeve! Therefore, although technically it was Little Loser's first pick, you won't get to hear this one, because it is now by and large unplayable.

After that I took more care and finally (after quite some struggle and discussion about the fact that the guy pictured on the sleeve of The Selecter's 'Too Much Pressure' - album is NOT suffering from any heavy physical pain [Daddy!! Man!! There!! Ouch!!] and about the fact that this record CANNOT be chosen by him (because it is no 12" Single)) he managed to pick five other records ... without destroying them, thank God. All in all good choices, I would like to think. I tend to leave the question unanswered though whether this is because his taste is already that good (I don't think the sleeves attracted him, because all of those are rather uninteresting) or whether the collection itself doesn't contain that much crap in the first place. Then again he currently is very fond of one of the great records of all time (which means he does have some good taste indeed, at the very least), The Lime Spiders' 'That's How It Will Be' .... he likes the part where the music fades down and the singer goes "Heeeyy!!" .... and he is imitating that scream perfectly well since five days now when he lies on his back whilst I try to change his nappies. Priceless!

Okay, so let's go, here's what Little Loser picked for you, Ladies and Gentlemen .... please enjoy:

mp3: The Unknown Cases - 'Masimba Bele' ('83)

mp3: The Style Council - 'Shout To The Top' ('84)

mp3: The Midwich Cuckoos - 'Show Me' ('90)

mp3: The Men They Couldn't Hang - 'Whiskey With Me Giro'

(live '85, taken from the 1986 'Shirt Of Blue' - 12")

mp3: Killing Joke - 'Love Like Blood' ('85)

Not bad, ey? I enjoyed his choices, especially the first and the last one, because I hadn't heard those for years meself! What did you think? Any comments are highly appreciated, as usual, and this time I promise to read them all out to Little Loser!

See you soon,

Dirk

Cool T-Shirt for free? Well, why not!

2010-05-05T12:15:00.001+02:00

Hello dear friends,

the wonderful world of blogs is rather small, I just found out. But effective, I hope. I started with reading what my friend JC aka The Vinyl Villain had to say today, then I went from his bloglist to the wonderful Postpunk where I found a link to this great site, 3D Supply. Now, they pretend to give a t-shirt out of their huge and most impressive collection away for free, that's as long as you write something nice about it on your blog. Which I'm doing right now obviously, so I hope the friendly people at 3D Supply read this and after having done so they send out the shirt to me .... right in time before I leave for my holiday later this month!

This is the shirt I chose ...

... and for those of you whose German is not good enough: it's all about vinyl and cassettes, which is fair enough for me, old fashioned as I am.

Well, let's hope 3D Supply keep their promise, because the shirt is dead cool indeed!

I'll keep you informed as soon as it arrives!

Cheerio for now,

Dirk

It's Paul Haig Day today ... again!

2010-04-06T06:00:00.002+02:00

Dearest friends,

Paul Haig gave great support to a number of bloggers in the Spring of 2009 when a number of us were hit with all sorts of dmca notices, to the extent that he gave full authority for tracks from his back catalogue to be used in postings. Paul Haig Day was organised at short notice for 6th April and some 40 different bloggers used their space that day to write about his life and work.

Paul Haig Day II is once again on 6th April 2010: today, in fact.

All of this was organised by my good mate JC aka The Vinyl Villain, who runs a fantastic blog which is updated on a daily basis. I find it hard to believe myself, but perhaps there are two people in the whole wide world who are reading this here but have never visited his site. Should this be the unlikely case: do yourself a favour and go here, okay?

Back to Paul Haig: I must admit I know very little about the things he did on his own, that's after the mighty Josef K. split up back in 1981. I won't even begin to try to give an overview of all the things Paul Haig did from 1981 up to now, it would be pointless, I'm afraid. Instead you should either read this article on Wikipedia or have a look at the aforementioned Vinyl Villain on a frequent basis: JC very often offers excellent tunes and/or articles from/about Paul.

The song I chose for today is not one of his solo tunes though, not because the things he did on his own are less preferable, no, the truth of the matter simply is that I haven't listened to this specific one for quite some time, and playing it again today brings back memories of better times (1981), so 'thank you', Paul:

Josef K. - 'Sorry For Laughing' (mp3)

Enjoy,

Dirk

Who can identify this tune, please?

2010-03-24T18:23:00.000+01:00

Hi friends,

I received a message on my discogs site from Javi from Spain, who has a song on a tape he recorded back in the summer of 1987. He neither knows the artist nor the name of the song, but is desperately looking for any help indeed. The recording quality is best described as poor, but nevertheless please spend two minutes of your time, listen to the track and if you have a clue: please let me know, so that I can tell Javi.

Here's said song.

Cheers my beauties ... and thanks for your time and help,

Dirk

Some Of The Best There Ever Has Been: '1985'

2010-03-14T08:56:00.001+01:00

Fellow Americans,

I was 17 in 1985 and the following tunes then were the soundtrack of my life. I still love to listem to them these days, some 25 years later, and I can only hope that you will do likewise. The groups/titles may well be known to you by heart already, but I included some live versions that, at least so I think, will not be that well known. For the rest: well, yeah .... is it really wrong to listen to the good old stuff from yesteryear every once in a while? I don't think it is, therefore please wail back in time and enjoy:

1) Warum Joe - 'Electrolyse' (mp3)

I have this on a fantastic compilation called 'La Vie En Rose' on New Rose Records France. Said compilation was released in 1985, the track itself was on the band's 'Le Goût De L'Effort' - 7", which was already released in 1983. So I'm cheating a bit here in one form or another, then again I first heard the tune when buying the compilation in 1985. Warum Joe hail from France, they started their career in 1981 and they are still going strong ... at least they were last year.

2) Einstürzende Neubauten - 'Sand' (mp3)

Originally performed by Nancy Sinatra, written by Lee Hazlewood: here you find an astonishing version of the song, done by German industrial rockers Einstürzende Neubauten. On the back of their 'Yü-Gung' - 12" on What's So Funny About ... - Records from Germany.

3) Sacred Cowboys - 'Highway 61' (mp3)

From Melbourne, Australia and active in 1982-1985, 1987-1997 and since 2006. A great band doing a great tune, originally performed by Bob Dylan, of course, although I suspect that this version here might find more approval from at least some of you than the original does. Again taken from the 'La Vie En Rose' - Box Set - compilation ....

4) 10.000 Maniacs - 'My Mother The War' (mp3)

Led by the wonderful Natalie Merchant, 10.000 Maniacs formed in New York back in 1981. Again, 'My Mother The War' was originally released as a single in 1983 - and even turned out to be a minor indie hit in the UK, thanks, as so often, to John Peel's airplay. The reason I list it here in this column is that it was included again on the band's 'The Wishing Chair' album, which was relased in 1985 on Elektra.

5) Blancmange - 'Feel Me' (live) (mp3)

'The London Sampler', a 1985 London Records Label Compilation by and large, has many great tunes on it, and this is but one of them. Not surprisingly, because Blancmange, who were Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscumbe, simply were an outstanding band back in the early eighties. 'Feel Me' was originally released as a single in 1982 and to be honest I have no idea when above live version was recorded: then again I don't care pretty much, because it surely is a gem and it captures Blancmange's energy pretty well!

6) The Wolfgang Press - 'Heart Of Stone' (mp3)

British band, formed in 1983. Members Michael Allen and Mark Cox had previously played together in the bands Rema-Rema and Mass whilst Andrew Gray was initially a member of In Camera. Lauded as one of 4AD's longest-tenured acts, the band would go on to record consistently until the mid-nineties. 'Heart Of Stone' is, at least in my humble opinion, the best track from their album 'The Legendary Wolfgang Press And Other Tall Stories', which was released on 4AD Records in 1985.

7) Style Council - 'My Ever Changing Moods' (live) (mp3)

Well, there ain't pretty much to say about The Style Council, is it? Listening to them when I was 16 or 17, amongst all the other post punk/punk - stuff beneath, often gave me a bit of a 'bohemian' feeling, I'm ashamed to admit: then again I never knew whether Weller (bearing what he did with The Jam in mind) was really cool or whether he was just a ninny ... and we'll never know, I'm afraid. One of their finest tunes, first released in 1984, presented here in a live version, live in Liverpool in fact, from a 7" given free with the NME in September 1985.

8) Lloyd Cole and The Commotions - 'Forest Fire' (live) (mp3)

Again from the aforementioned NME - 7", but this time recorded live in London: Lloyd Cole & The Commotions. Surely one of the finest bands from Glasgow ever, and if you don't owe their debut album 'Rattlesnakes' from 1984 yet ('Forest Fire' is on it as well), then you haven't really lived your life properly so far.

9) Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - 'Hollow Heart' (mp3)

Again already released as a single in 1984, but also to be found on their debut album 'Talking About The Weather', which was released on Red Rhino Records in 1985. I saw them live in 1986 and I thought they had split in 1991, but to my great surprise I just learned - whilst searching for a band photo - that apparantly they reformed in 2004 and released new material until 2006. I'm willing to have a small bet though that the new stuff won't have have the strength and power that above song has.

10) Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians - 'Heaven' (live) (mp3)

The album 'Gotta Let This Hen Out' was released on Relativity Records in 1985 and basically is a recording of a gig the band did at The Marquee in London on April, 27th 1985. From it, I chose 'Heaven', originally released, also in 1985, on their album 'Fegmania!'.

Enough for today, pop-pickers, I do sincerely hope you enjoyed some of the above: would be neat to let me know if this was the case - or not the case - in the comments section ...

Take good care,

Dirk

... and YESSS .... he's back!!!

2010-02-23T13:54:00.011+01:00

Hello dearest friends,

ages (!!) since my last post, I know, and no, I won't apologise for it, because I wasn't tanning my cute little ass in the Caribbean sun for the last months: in fact Little Loser stole all my time recently and I suppose that's the way it should be when there is a baby in the house. But I have bragged about this 'situation' on and on here and elsewhere, so the only thing I want to make clear is that I don't want to complain about my life: no, the opposite is true, friends, in fact it is true every second I see the little man! But enough of that ... let's have some music, shall we?

First up a record I fell in love with as soon as I first heard it back in 1999 on John Peel. Not the stuff I would usually listen to perhaps (I mean, it somehow sounds like Fantastic Plastic Machine playing a song based on a Hawaiian version of the 'E-I-E-I-O' at the end of "Old McDonald's Farm", with a touch of Trio's 'Da Da Da') ... but, most importantly, it works!!

A 7" on Motorway Records from Japan and after searching for it for 11 years, I finally got my hands on it last week for a fair price indeed. And because I love you all up to no degree, I want to share it with you, so here it is:

Princess Kaiulani - 'Alamoana Fade Away' (mp3)

I have no information whatsoever about this band, to be honest. The fact that the record was issued on a Japanese lable might mean Princess Kaiulani are a Japanese act, but then again this might mean anything and they hail from the depths of Antarctica, who bloody knows?!

PLEASE let me know what you think of it: this is one of those records which only I seem to adore. Or did it meet with the approval of some of you as well?

Next up something I discovered very late last year, so late in the year in fact that it was too late to include it into my list of submissions for the CONTRAST PODCAST FESTIVE 50 (*). Had I found it earlier, I swear it would have been my contender for the number one, that's for sure! A duo, again I have no idea where they come from, she is called Juju, he is called Nez - although I suspect those are not the names they have been christened ... that's unless they come from the USA, of course - and that's all we need to know, right?

The video is a real treat, so you should have a look at it on youtube or elsewhere: I mean, let's face it, we all love beautifully young skinny chicks freaking out, don't we, and Juju is/does exactly that in the video. The record is available on Custard Records and well worth tracking down - here -, I would think!!

Little Fish - 'Darling Dear' (mp3)

* all three parts of the aforementioned Festive Fifty, as well as other episodes of the Contrast Podcast, can be downloaded here, here and here.

As you might have gathered from previous posts on Sexyloser, I do like to listen to some of the good old-fashioned noisy stuff from time to time, therefore - without any other reason at all apart from the fact that I haven't listened to those myself for quite some time - here come:

-1- Blitz - 'Someone's Gonna Die' (mp3)

-2- Lime Spiders - 'Out Of Control' (mp3)

-3- Louie - 'Dead Man' (mp3)

-4- Metal Mike - 'I Don't Like This World Anymore' (mp3)

-5- Neurotics - 'Living With Unemployment' (live) (mp3)

-1- can be found on 'The No Future Years ' - double CD from 2000 on Anagram Records (although originally issued on an EP back in 1981), -2- on the 'Out Of Control' - 7" from 1985 on Citadel Records, -3- on the 'Dead Man' - CD - single on Fallout Recordings from 2006, -4- on 'Plays The Hits Of The 90's', a Mini-LP on Triple X Records from 1991, -5- on 'Kickstarting A Backfiring Nation', an album on FREUD Records, 1986, the tune was originally done by The Members, of course.

All of the above - basically all of the below in previous posts as well - is up for sale now on my discogs - site for reasonable prices, i would like to think. So if you are interested in a specific tune and want to get hold of the actual original record/CD the tune you liked is on, just pop over at discogs and have a look there at my seller site:

www.discogs.com/seller/fullofhope

Perhaps I should add that all the money I make out of selling my record collection goes straight to Little Loser's steadily growing collection of nappies/clothing/toys/etc. .... so there you are: "charity" it is basically, in one form or another ...

See you soon, my beauties!

Dirk

17 Seconds Records: a label to watch out for ...

2009-10-02T08:48:00.008+02:00

Hello my beauties,

yes, yes ... quite a while since I last found the time to post a little something here on Sexyloser and I hope you will forgive me. It was not just pure laziness, let me tell you, no, in fact only the parents of you will be able to imagine how hard it is to find a few minutes of spare time for yourself when there is a baby in the house. But I won't complain, never!

Okay, I recently got a note from mighty Ed, who does the fantastic 17 Seconds - blog. 17 Seconds always has been an inspiration for me (along with J.C.'s The Vinyl Villain), therefore I won't hesitate to tell you some news which some of you might already know, but I'm sure there are others who don't. So listen up:

Quite some time ago - in addition to the 17 Seconds - blog - Ed has launched a record label, 17 Seconds Records. He works with some fabulous artists, and I want to draw your attention to two of them today:

X-Lion Tamer come from Edinburgh and those of you who can define exactly what the sound they make reminds me of will win a night out with me on my expenses (drinking only, no sex).

I listened to a few of their tunes over and over and I can't make my mind up. But perhaps it's all new and I'm totally wrong when trying to compare it to something I might have heard before. Then again they must have their influences, right? But whatever those might be, the stuff they make is rather brilliant. Listen to this, for example, see what you make out of it and note that X-Lion Tamer's first EP 'Neon Hearts' is out now in the UK.

X-Lion Tamer - 'Life Support Machine' (mp3)

They also do a great version of Galaxie 500's 'Tugboat', but because I don't want to destroy any 17 Seconds Records marketing strategies here, I won't post it. Get hold of it by yourself and buy the record, people! If you are unsure where it might be available, get in touch with Ed at seventeensecondsblog@hotmail.co.uk, okay? Here's X-Lion Tamer's myspace - site for even more information.

Secondly we have Chris Bradley, who basically is one fifth of Aberfeldy. Here's his myspace - site. Ed send three of his tunes over to me to listen to and I would have loved to post 'Bored Little Rosie', because it simply is outstanding. But as it is available as a download single, I won't do it, so instead here's a different one, wonderful as well:

Chris Bradley - 'Golden Girl' (mp3)

Last year Chris Bradley released his debut album 'Voices', which 17 Seconds Records will be re-issuing in 2010. His new album, tentatively titled 'Go On, My Son' will be released in November.

Well, I hope I made you curious enough to check out more from these artists, friends.

Let me tell you what you think, ey?

Cheers,

Dirk

The Harder They Come ....

2009-07-11T12:01:00.006+02:00

Hello my beauties,

coincidentally I've been listening to some old Ska/Rocksteady tunes recently which had 'Rude Boy' in the title, so I thought to myself: well, there must be more in your collection ... and this is what I came up with ... for your enjoyment! So straighten your tie, put on your pork pie hat and dance to this:

1) Anhrefn - 'Edrych Ar Y Rude Boys' (mp3): from a split LP they had with another band, the name of which escaped me. Taken from a cassette tape (as you will be able to tell from the noise in the background) of John Peel's Music on BFBS back in 1989. A neat version of the Ruts' favourite ... that's if you speak Welsh ... which I don't do alas.

2) The Clarendonians - 'Rudie Bam Bam' (mp3): one of the many many great originals from Jamaica, this time from 1966, and again ripped from a cassette, I'm afraid. But despite of the (rather poor) sound quality it is a gem, that's for sure!

3) The Clarendonians - 'Rude Boy Gone A Jail' (mp3): and here's another one by them, also from 1966 ...

4) The Clash - 'Rudie Can't Fail' (mp3): a total classic from the only band that matters and therefore of course it has to be included here: from 'London Calling' from 1979.

5) Ted, Leo & The Pharmacists - 'Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone' (mp3): something more contemporary now, from 2003 in fact. From the band's 'Hearts Of Oak' - album.

6) The Rudies - 'Give Peace A Chance' (mp3): again taken from a cassette, but I think the vinyl pressing was been rather appallingly off centre - and scratchy - in the first place. Lots of surface noise, but again it is too good to be neglected just because of the sound quality. From 1969.

7) Rudi - 'Big Time' (mp3): filed next to The Rudies ... which shows that my finding system, such as it is, is somewhat in line. I mean, had I found The Beatles next to The Rudies, it would have been a bit of a surprise, right? Anyway: again a total classic, from 1978.

8) The Ruts - 'Staring At The Rude Boys' (mp3): from their 'Grin And Bear It' - LP from 1980.

9) The Scofflaws - 'Rudy's Back' (mp3): from their 1991 debut - LP. Third Wave Ska from the States ... and why not?

10) The Spanish Tonians - 'Rudie Gets Plenty' (mp3): again recorded in '66/'67 in Jamaica. I can't tell you how much I love the tunes from this era: indispensable stuff indeed!!

11) The Specials - 'A Message To You Rudy' (mp3): yeah, I know you have all been waiting for this to come: from 1979 and from one of the best albums in the history of recorded music!

12) Desmond Dekker & The Aces - 'Rudy Got Soul' (mp3): from 1966 ... which shows that good old Desmond did other neat things besides 'The Israelites' ...

13) Laurel Aitken - 'Rudi Got Married' (mp3): played that before, but it simply has to be included in this post: my personal favourite here ... they lyrics are hard to beat, I'd say! From a 1980 Peel Session.

14) Laurel Aitken & The Loafers - 'Rudi Got Married' (live) (mp3): and because I like this tune up to no degree, here it is again in a different version: recorded live together with The Loafers! I don't know exactly when this was done, but I assume it must have been in the late 80's.

15) Dandy Livingstone - 'Rudy, A Message To You' (mp3): from 1967 ... which shows you, kids, that The Specials do brilliant cover versions, but the originals should always be heard as well!

16) The Fabulous Rudies - '99 Luftballons' (mp3): again a cover version, and I don't know if you know the original, which was a hit for Nena, a German singer/band in the 80's. This though is from 2006.

Phew .... do your feet hurt by now?! If so, my mission is accomplished!

Cheers,

Dirk

I Think I Need Help ....

2009-07-10T12:24:00.006+02:00

Hello dearest friends,

another shameless theft (here) from the mighty Vinyl Villain, you might think, but let me tell you that this is not true, no! The idea cropped up several months ago, but I never got around to post it here until today:

Back in 1989 or 1990 (perhaps even 1991, but I don't think so) I got a cassette tape from a friend of mine, Iris, and it has been a much treasured item ever since. Full of good songs, a few weak ones as well, but all in all I always liked coming back to it from time to time. The problem with the tape is that most of the songs are unknown to me (Iris didn't include any information whatsoever (women, ey?!) and I hope she burns in hell for this!!). Now, I have always been desperate to figure out whom they might be by, so that I can get my hands on a decent vinyl/CD copy (or, to be honest, find them as high quality mp3's somewhere for illegal download) one of these days.

I assume most of you will laugh out loud, because you know these tunes by heart and can immediately identify them as Top 10 Hits everybody can sing along to .... but I can't alas. Therefore any hints from your side in the comment section, dearest friends, are highly appreciated.

Along with the songs below you get a little bit of rather cheesy 80's dancefloor stuff on said tape, not the thing one would want to hear today, certainly not me. But also there's some early Nick Cave on it, very early Young Marble Giants and Beautiful South's 'Song For Whoever' (not a particular favourite of mine, but so what?), all of that along with The Sugarcubes' 'Birthday' and old Ian Dury - stuff. A strange combination, but wonderful!

Below are the tunes I like best, but I haven't got the slightest idea who sings them and/or what they're titled. Do you?

Iris1 (mp3) - I have absolutely no idea at all who this might be ....

Iris2 (mp3) - sounds pretty much like Jonathan Richman, I always thought ....

Iris3 (mp3) - again: not the slightest idea ....

Iris4 (mp3) - as above ...

Iris5 (mp3) - ... again.

Iris6 (mp3) - I'm willing to have small bet that those are The Violent Femmes ...

Iris7 (mp3) - cuts off before the end, but I hope someone can identify it nevertheless.

Thanks very much indeed for your help, folks! Highly appreciated, as I said.

*************************************************************************************

And now for something completely different:

I noticed in the last two weeks that every - and I mean every - blog I frequently visit has featured a Michael Jackson - tribute in one form or another. Although I never gave a toss about Jackson (never liked his music nor his dancing nonsense nor his childish giggling all the freakin' time he was on the telly .... actually I always thought he was a complete twerp), Sexyloser will of course follow the common herd and post a little something as well, a neat tune I have always been fond of:

Negativland - 'Michael Jackson' (mp3) [from 'Escape From Noise', 1987]

See you soon, friends. I promise to post more frequently from now on .... that's if Little Loser allows me to do so .....

Have fun,

Dirk

2009-05-25T17:59:00.015+02:00

Dearest friends (and, of course, followers),

is this site dead?, you may have wondered in the recent past. The truth of the matter is 'no', but only the lucky ones of you who can call themselves 'parents' will be able to understand that one's free time (and this includes weekends. Especially weekends, in fact) reduces itself to zero as soon as there is a baby in the house. Which is the case in Sexyloserland for three months now, therefore I can only apologise to you for the lack of posts. But the struggle continues as far as I'm concerned and hopefully I will find myself in a position soon where Little Loser allows me to take care of you all more often. Time alone can tell when this might possibly be though ...

Either way, enough of that. The only time when I can listen to music these days is on me way to work in the car in the morning (and on me way back in the afternoon obviously). Well, this morning I drove along, the sun was shining, and - as it happens rather often - I heard a specific tune which immediately made me think of another tune. Sometimes this is because of similar lyrics, sometimes because the two tracks were released in the same year, sometimes because I bought the two records together when they came out. I'm sure you know what I'm trying to talk about here, if not, here's what happened this morning:

I was listening to this:

The Detroit Cobras (aka Goddesses)

The Detroit Cobras - 'Last Night' (mp3). A great 2003 cover of the Strokes' tune, featured before on this site, but that's no excuse not to play it again.

I was humming along to it when suddenly all this 'Last Night' - stuff in the lyrics brought another line to mind: "Last Night There Were Skinheads On My Lawn", which, I'm sure you know, is included in the very fantastic 'Take The Skinheads Bowling' by Camper Van Beethoven. Now, only last week I heard a brilliant version of this by The Manic Street Preachers, which was new to me until Jim from Quick Before It Melts submitted it for the 'Skin' - episode of the Contrast Podcast. Great tune, Jim, thanks for having chosen it. So here it is to you all, from 1996, The Manic Street Preachers' version of 'Take The Skinheads Bowling' (mp3).

Manic Street Preachers (whom I normally don't like very much, I must admit)

The opening line in it goes "Every Day I Get Up And Pray To Jah", which made me think of another gem, something I hadn't heard for quite some time:

The Natural-Ites & The Realistics' 'Picture On The Wall' (mp3), one of the many tunes from Jamaica which praise Jah. From 1983, and a real belter for sure if you're into Jamaican stuff!

couldn't find any Natural-Ites - pictures, so instead you'll get me, captured in sunny Montego Bay, Jamaica, circa 1990.

Well, thinking of Jamaican music - more of Ska than of Reggae - another great artist came to my mind: the wonderful Laurel Aitken (okay, I know he moved to England rather early in his career, but what the heck: he's from Jamaica and the story in the song I thought of clearly 'plays' in Jamaica): 'Rudi Got Married' (mp3). This is the version he did for a Peel - session back in 1980.

Laurel Aitken (another God, as far as I'm concerned)

Which made me think of another gentleman who got in trouble (in one form or another) with the police: the guy Cock Sparrer sing about in 'Riot Squad' (mp3).

Cock Sparrer

Now, this tune from 1983 was recently chosen by the mighty FiL from the mighty PogoAGoGo, again for the Contrast Podcast. It's good throughout and I must admit I seem to have forgotten over the years. So thanks, FiL, for giving me a reminder: I can't get it out of my head and listen to it frequently these days.

This is also true for the next tune and believe it or not: I have Cock Sparrer on a CD in the car together with The Indelicates' 'We Hate The Kids' (mp3) from 2006 and those two are the fucking best songs I've heard in all of 2009 ... so far. Repeat function is a very good invention indeed, I learned!

The Indelicates: a mighty band!

Now, if you listen more or less closely to The Indelicates' lyrics, you'll hear them moan about "Fat Men Who Once Met The MC5", which, strangely enough, made me think not of a song by The MC5, but of a T-Shirt one of The Pooh Sticks (Hue?) wears on the front cover of their 1988 self-titled mini album, the T-Shirt reading 'MC5 Back In The USA'.

The Pooh Sticks ... from years ago!

So, to close this tale of my complicated thought structures, here come The Pooh Sticks and 'Heroes And Villains' (mp3).

btw: this tune of course made me think of my mate JC aka The Vinyl Villain. But that's a different story. Visit his site here nevertheless, friends, your life will no longer be the same. Always a place to enjoy, but especially his offers for May and (early) June are outstanding!

Would be nice to know if someone found something intersting amongst the tunes above. So leave comments, okay?

Cheerio,

Dirk

It's Paul Haig - Day today ...

2009-04-03T09:31:00.008+02:00

.... because J.C. - aka The Vinyl Villain - tells us so. You may wonder - and rightly so - what this may possibly mean .... so just have a look here and here and you'll understand it all.

Also you may wonder who this Paul Haig might be. Well, I must admit, I don't know a single tune he has written on his own and this might be true for a lot of you. But Paul Haig was the singer with the fabulous Josef K. ... and if this name doesn't ring a bell with you, then get a life, kids!

Josef K. released their stuff on the legendary Postcard label and they were highly influential for numerous bands of the post punk and indie era and they - and Paul - still deserve some attention these days. Especially these days perhaps.

So lean back whilst you read the below essay by James Nice from 2001. It sums it all up pretty neatly, I would think. And - in order - to put you in the right mood beforehand, here's a little gem from yesteryear for you to enjoy:

Josef K. - 'Crazy To Exist' (mp3)

For two brief years at the dawn of the 1980s Josef K gave the
Postcard label its sharpest cutting edge. Although outlived - and
outsold - by labelmates Orange Juice and Aztec Camera, Josef K's
flame burned brightest, while their influence has touched bands
as diverse as Propaganda and the Wedding Present. Yet just as
interesting are the subsequent solo careers of all four members,
which include stints with Orange Juice, Aztec Camera and 4AD
outfit the Happy Family. Not to mention the undervalued body of
solo work produced by enigmatic frontman Paul Haig.

TV ART

Inspired by the heady punk summer of 1977, and later Pere Ubu and
the New York art-punk sounds of the Velvet Underground and
Television, Josef K came together in Edinburgh in mid-1978 as TV
Art. Initially a three-piece, guitarists Paul Haig and Malcolm
Ross and drummer Ron Torrance were briefly joined by bassist Gary
McCormack, later to find fame of another kind with the Exploited.
After David Weddell took over on bass early in 1979 the group
began gigging locally, joining a thriving Edinburgh scene which
also included the Associates, the Visitors, TV21, Fire Engines,
the Scars and Another Pretty Face.

At this point, Haig and Ross shared lead vocals, both apparently
being strongly reminiscent of Lou Reed. It therefore came as no
great surprise that their covers included the Velvet's Sweet Jane
and I'm Waiting for the Man, as well as Be My Wife (Bowie),
Psycho Killer (Talking Heads) and Marquee Moon (Television).

Summer 1979 saw TV Art change their name to Josef K, a reflection
of Haig's then-current fascination with Czech writer Franz Kafka.
Like another influence, avant punks Subway Sect, the group took
to sporting sharp monochrome suits - from Oxfam. Josef K also
recorded their first eight-song studio demo tape with the
intention of landing a deal with a credible label such as Radar
or Rough Trade, though these embryonic songs failed to elicit
much interest.

Of this formative period, Malcolm Ross would later comment:

Josef K was like a gang. We would all hang out together. We
didn't like talking to promoters and such. It was
snobbishness to an extent. We just thought that they
weren't in the gang or on the same wavelength. I suppose we
were quite puritanical. We didn't like sexism or
laddishness... It was modernist. I was quite interested in
the original mod movement, and that was one of the
influences in wearing suits. Again, it was a reaction to
the whole dirty, long-haired thing that punk reacted to,
but punk wasn't too far off it either. Punks were just as
dirty. I didn't like that - I wanted some kind of dignity.
We were forward looking.

None of us had ever played in groups prior to punk so it
gave us clean slate. Whereas you could tell the bands who
had, because they would chuck in rock guitar cliches here,
there and everywhere. We never did. Paul and I were always
striving to be, if not experimental, at least not cliched.

ABSOLUTE POSTCARD

Meanwhile, a chance encounter with Steven Daly, drummer with
Glasgow band Orange Juice, lead to a loose alliance between the
two bands, who began playing out together, alternating headline
status on one another's home turf. After Daly set up his own
label, Absolute, Chance Meeting by Josef K became its first (and
last) release. Both sides were lifted straight from the earlier
demo, and although initial sales were modest on release in
November 1979, BBC radio airplay from John Peel afforded the band
a degree of national exposure.

Edwyn Collins and Alan Horne, singer and manager respectively of
Orange Juice, subsequently set up Postcard Records, to which
Josef K duly signed. Arty and camp, Postcard stood in stark
contrast to the colourless majority of independent labels of the
'cold wave' era. The second Josef K single, Radio Drill Time, was
recorded in April 1980 during a shared session with Orange Juice,
who cut Blue Boy. The flipside, Crazy To Exist, is credited as
'live', but was in truth recorded in a cottage in Fife. As well
as doubling up on studio time, both records also appeared in the
same sleeve, a double-sided wraparound affair, many of which were
arduously hand-coloured.

Radio Drill Time found favour with the rock weeklies, who now
ventured north to check out 'the Sound Of Young Scotland', a
phrase appropriated by Horne from Motown. In consequence Josef
K played their London debut in October, and one month later
released It's Kinda Funny. Easily their most relaxed and
reflective single, Funny earned them the kind of hyperbolic
reviews that in time came to weigh increasingly heavily on the
group. Interestingly, the song would also prove the most durable
oldie in Haig's solo live set.

DEBUT ALBUM

November 1980 also saw the band record their debut album, Sorry
For Laughing, a record which (until its appearance on CD in 1990)
quickly joined the pantheon of Great Lost Albums. Twelve tracks
were cut, test pressings made, and a deluxe silver sleeve proofed
- yet at the eleventh hour the release was cancelled. Over the
years an astonishing stock of rumour has attached to the record,
while even at the time no little hype surrounded its
cancellation. Horne claimed that the twelve-song set was too
well-produced (!), while rumours abounded of several thousand
finished copies being destroyed.

Later, the band would claim that the mix was unsatisfactory (as
in too bass-heavy and clean), and that it failed to represent
their blistering live sound. Certainly, most of the songs were
already old, and the album gave little indication of what the
group proved capable of delivering just nine months later with
the Only Fun In Town. Yet while many subsequently judged Sorry
For Laughing a more listener-friendly set than its successor,
it's an inferior piece of art. And collectors are warned against
paying hundreds of pounds for test pressings, it being rumoured
that rather more than the usual handful were pressed, with the
express object of producing saleable rarities.

Thus Sorry For Laughing would gather dust in a vault for a
decade. Ever uncompromising, Josef K were already displaying a
marked disdain for careerist notions, even going so far as to
boast of making only one or two albums before splitting in a
blaze of glory.

THE CREPUSCULE CONNECTION

In December 1980 Orange Juice and Josef K travelled to Brussels
at the invitation of Les Disques du Crepuscule for a New Year's
Eve concert at Plan K. The date also featured Brussels p-funk
enigma Marine, a jazz band and silent films. Manager Allan
Campbell recalls:

The concert was invaded by a group of inebriated punks, one
of whom threw a plate of food in Edwyn Collins' face when
he was onstage. The OJ singer retaliated with a kick. By
the time Josef K appeared feelings in the crowd were
running high. A fight broke out in front of the stage and
the group had to stop playing while the promoters attempted
to sort things out.

Indeed, at a distance of twenty years, it is easy to overlook the
fact that Josef K considered themselves a live rather than a
studio band. Allan Campbell again:

Since their early live shows with the likes of Echo and the
Bunnymen, the Cure, Magazine and the Clash (where they were
heckled for being 'mods'), they were now becoming
formidable live performers. In concert was the place to
truly experience Ross and Haig's sensational guitar work.
Ross' lead playing in particular was inspiring. Fiery,
committed and ringing, it was a key element in the group's
sound. Onstage was where Josef K made most sense.

It was becoming increasingly apparent that Josef K weren't
the serious young men that they first appeared to be. A
penchant for psychedelic shirts, the occasional kaftan and
liquid light projection was their tongue-in-cheek way of
repudiating their monochromatic image. Because Haig refused
to talk to the audiences (part of their anti-showbusiness
stance; neither would they play encores or sign autographs)
he would tape song introductions and play them over the PA.

Later, he and Ross would expand this to include their own
versions of some old Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis routines -
"Did you take a bath this morning?" / "Why? Is there one
missing?.

During the first visit to Brussels Josef K also re-recorded the
track Sorry For Laughing for single release. When Crepuscule
released the record in April 1981 it was rightly hailed as the
group's strongest offering to date, and established the
definitive Josef K style of circular rhythms paired with incisive
guitar angles. Indeed, the song became so highly regarded that
German sophisticates Propaganda later covered it (albeit blandly)
on their acclaimed ZTT album A Secret Wish.

CHANCE MEETING

Horne, upset that the groups' best single yet was to appear on
another label, pressed Josef K into re-recording Chance Meeting
for Postcard, thus triggering a frantic six-month burst of
activity. In March, several songs from the scrapped debut album
were donated to the BBC as a fake John Peel radio session, while
in April the band crossed to Brussels again to play several more
shows, and to record their debut album a second time. Chance
Meeting, released in June, was far superior to the Absolute
version eighteen months earlier and, complete with added brass,
saw Josef K beginning to sound like a bona fide pop band.

This overt commercial edge, together with a distinct funkiness,
was further developed that same month by their one proper Peel
session. Bearing in mind that these four songs were to prove
Josef K's last recordings together, their excellence makes the
demise of the group all the more heartbreaking. Heaven Sent and
Missionary were the new songs, two fine slices of looping punk-
funk, the latter heavily influenced by Life in Reverse, a single
by Brussels band Marine released on Crepuscule in April. However
the biggest surprise came with a charming Alice Cooper cover -
Applebush - sung by Ross's wife, Susan Buckley.

THE ONLY FUN IN TOWN - PARADISE BUNGLED

Although expectations for the 'debut' album were now running
high, it met with mixed reaction upon release in July. Although
praised in Melody Maker, The Only Fun in Town was roundly slated
by Sounds, while Paul Morley, writing in the NME, bemoaned:

...an artificial paradise totally bungled. Fun is not much
at all chasing itself in dizzying circles. Somewhere
between the chunky echo beat and the wound down punk bleat,
through a large door and down a shady lane, in the hands of
a world famous producer, lies smart and shirty and
splenetic. The Josef K Sound that would present their songs
with class.

The precarious balance between reality and reverie is lost,
lost, lost, the reduced production degenerates rather than
glorifies the escapist desires and poetic fancy. Fun is
subdued not sublime: an errant substitute for what could
have been... Singer Paul Haig is brilliant. He acts rich -
as the group should do, as the production should be - but
he alone cannot stop Fun being scruffy. I am appalled. Will
there be a third time? Can they forget their past? Is
what's lost all? Josef K have cheapened themselves and
cheated the world: not bad for a first LP.

Barely half an hour long, comprising many familiar songs from
singles, and blessed with a hyper-bright production that belied
the six day schedule in a Belgian eight-track studio, TOFIT
arrived as a shock indeed to anyone expecting Josef K to turn in
the brand of sophisticated pop subterfuge that, say, the
Associates would produce a year later with Sulk. Haig now
reflects that:

I think we committed commercial suicide. When we were
mixing the album, we wanted it to sound like a live
concert, because we were so into playing live. I purposely
mixed down my own vocals. God knows why. I regret that.

Nonetheless TOFIT remains a dazzling record, featuring ten left-
handed pop nuggets of undeniable genius, and while very much the
uncompromising 'punk' album both band and Horne had long
promised, it effortlessly topped the alternative charts for
several weeks. The album also stands as the only album that the
original Postcard label ever got around to releasing.

CRAZY TO EXIST?

By way of promotion Josef K set out on a lengthy UK tour during
July and August, with boy wonders Aztec Camera in support. The
last London show, at the Venue, is preserved on the 'Crazy to
Exist' CD. However, the final Scottish date at Glasgow Maestro's
would prove their last. The exact reasons behind the split -
principally Haig's decision - remain obscure, although it would
appear that a combination of too-great expectations, small
incomes, Haig's dislike of touring and unspecified disagreements
over future direction were primarily to blame. Rather fancifully,
Alan Horne saw fit to blame the NME. Whatever the cause, one of
the Great White Hopes of the decade had self-destructed after
just one album, thus fulfilling their own brash prophecy.

Interviewed by Johnny Waller in Sounds early the following year,
Haig confessed:

I was pretty depressed for a week because it was the end of
an era, but after that I was really happy that we'd split,
because I could get on with everything I wanted to do. I
don't listen to any of those records now. It's all gone.
Nothing from that period interests me, except maybe Sorry
for Laughing. We didn't really get on all that well towards
the end. We didn't have anything in common, so there were
no jokes, no happy feeling. It was just down to doing a
job. Josef K weren't that famous anyway. We've split up, so
what? Everybody changes.

More tellingly, the singer revealed:

I've lost alot of the ideals I had in Josef K. About not
wanting to be commercially successful, suffering for your
art and all that. Not that I wasn't sincere about it at the
time... But I got sick of it. I want to be signed to a
major and make a great record that will get radio airplay
and be a big hit, then make my own money from that. I don't
mind being manipulated to a certain extent in order to get
what I want, but in time I want to control everything.

It's an ideal which Haig, perhaps to his detriment, has never
strayed. But before going on to examine the subsequent careers
of all four members, it is worth jumping forward in time and
covering the many posthumous Josef K releases.

THE RECORDED LEGACY

First came Crepuscule's 'Farewell Single' in 1982, combining
Missionary (from the Peel session) with two instrumental takes
on the Angle (from TOFIT). Former manager Allan Campbell (who
also oversaw Haig's solo career until 1984) then took charge of
the back catalogue via his Supreme International Editions label,
issuing an ep featuring Heaven Sent (Peel again) as the lead
track, and a compilation album, Young and Stupid. The track
selection of the latter - undertaken by the band themselves -
left a little to be desired, presenting neither an accurate
overview of their career, or a complete collection of wallet-
withering single sides which had rapidly become pricey New Wave
rarities. Fortunately, in 1990 LTM collected every
Josef K song ever committed to vinyl (together with demo tracks,
the Peel session and the shelved album) onto two remastered
compact discs.

In Japan, the LTM CD releases were split into three, with the
addition of a 'Rare Live' set identical to the first 12 tracks
on the live album eventually released worldwide by LTM in 2000.
German label Marina released a fine 'greatest hits' set titled
Endless Soul on CD in 1998 (with great sleevenotes by Allan
Campbell), while the following year Creation offshoot RevOla
reissued the LTM CD coupling of Sorry For Laughing and The Only
Fun In Town.

In the years immediately following their Josef K would spawn a
legion of imitators, a perhaps questionable legacy given that
their influence was chiefly mirrored in the shambling C86-stable.
The direct covers and tributes number just three: Sorry For
Laughing (Propaganda), It's Kinda Funny (the Confettis), and a
heartfelt adieu from the June Brides, titled Josef's Dead.

PAUL HAIG SOLO - RHYTHM OF LIFE

Back in 1981, none of the former group members wasted any time
in exploring new avenues, although singer and chief songwriter
Paul Haig would maintain the highest profile. With Postcard
disintegrating amidst the JK split and Orange Juice signing to
Polydor, Haig quickly released two interim singles on Edinburgh
independent Rational, run by manager Allan Campbell.

The first of these, Soon, was a collaboration with fellow
Edinburgh musician Steven Harrison (formerly of Metropak), while
the second single saw Haig guesting on a what was in effect a
vanity record by artist Sebastian Horsley. Exploring territory
first charted by Heaven 17 in their BEF guise, both singles
appeared under the generic name Rhythm Of Life Organisation
(RoL), an imprimatur Haig has retained ever since for everything
from production work to his backing band. Such anonymity also
suited his avowed dislike of publicity; indeed Haig has never
once released a record with his own hardly wretched face on the
front cover.

Also via Rational, Haig released a bizarre cassette-only set of
home-recorded electronica titled Drama, featuring Kafka texts set
to music as well as an odd take on Forever Drone. With just 700
copies manufactured, collectors will be hard put to track down
a copy today, though it should be added that this minor curiosity
is hardly a must-have.

Haig subsequently teamed up with Crepuscule to release future
product, and in January 1982 made solo live debuts in Edinburgh
(Valentinos) and London (the Venue). According to the NME's Dave
Hill, for the latter show:

Rhythm of Life remained a mystery... Initially they seem
like an artful re-arrangement of the Iggy-Oakey ice-box
delivery, and the Bogart mail order catalogue, into a
perfect cliche of the same. But how straight are their
faces? I don't know, but Haig projects with the efficiency
of a sly android, blonde, doleful and besuited, spooning
each painstaking tune with an immaculate croon. All is calm
and self-contained... Since Josef K split Haig has pursued
several lines, yet the cool execution of this show is
undeniable, elegant and curvaceous.

The following month Rhythm of Life took part in Crepuscule's
first trans-European package tour, Dialogue North-South, also
featuring Durutti Column, the Names, Marine, Richard Jobson,
Antena and Tuxedomoon. Eschewing a live drummer in favour of a
rhythm box, RoL gained plaudits for their versatile, snappy brand
of funk minimalism, and five excerpts from these shows can be
found on Crepuscule's souvenir compilation (TWI 082). Since two
of the songs (Stories and Glory) were never subsequently re-
recorded, it's an album well worth seeking out, although
completists are warned that the CD version omits the rather
shambolic rendition of Shining Hour present on the vinyl and
cassette. The CD liner notes also reprint much of an excellent
on-the-spot report written by the late Johnny Waller, reprinted
from his piece in Sounds (April 3 1982).

BACK TO BELGIUM

Haig elected to move to Brussels in March, and there embarked on
an intensive recording schedule at Little Big One studio. This
resulted in two self-produced singles, Running Away and Justice,
although the latter was destined to be shelved. However, after
just four months Haig tired of continental living and returned
to Edinburgh. Running Away, a charming cover of the Sly Stone
classic, appeared in May on Crepuscule subsidiary Operation
Twilight and topped the independent charts in the UK, its success
unhampered by the Raincoats' decision to release their own
version of the same song simultaneously.

The excellent follow-up single, Justice, was cancelled after
Crepuscule signed a licensing deal with Island. 7" test pressings
on Crepuscule (TWI 100) nevertheless exist, as does a separate
12" release on Crepuscule/Interference featuring two mixes of the
song Blue For You, although this seems to have been intended as
a DJ record more than a proper commercial release.

While in Brussels Haig also recorded the infamous Swing in '82
set, partly at the instigation of Crepuscule kingpin Michel
Duval. Originally intended for release as a 10' ep, Swing saw
Haig tackling six big band numbers Sinatra-style. While Vic
Godard fans no doubt found much to admire, others loathe it with
rare passion. The anti-faction now includes Haig himself,
although back in 1982 he had this to say to Masterbag magazine:

After listening to lots of Frank Sinatra records I became
aware of these fantastic old songs. I think the music and
the lyrics are absolutely incredible - especially the
lyrics. You just don't hear lyrics like them nowadays.
They're just so emotional. It was a big challenge to try
and sing them. The 'swing' side starts with The Song is
You, then All of You and Let's Face the Music and dance.
The 'dream' side is Love Me Tender, The Way You Look
Tonight and Send in the Clowns. I think the first side is
around 1938, with songs by Cole Porter, Irving Berlin,
people like that. The second side is slightly more modern.

The basic instrumentation on side one is just drums, double
bass and piano, with the addition of string synthesiser on
side two. We had to try about three sets of musicians
before we found these old session musicians that had been
playing jazz all their lives. The piano player must have
been 70 years old! The drummer was quite young, in his mid
twenties, so it was quite a challenge for him to keep pace
with these brilliant jazz musicians, as it was for me too.
I'm sure they thought it was a joke. I remember I turned up
at the studio the morning they arrived. They said, 'Are you
the singer? The producer?' They looked at each other in
disbelief.

It could either be slammed or it could be looked upon as
something brilliant. I tend to think that in England it's
going to be laughed at, but I don't think that's justified
because the musicianship is really, really good on it. If
anyone slags it off then it must be for some other reason,
but they can't fault the playing.

In fact this record too was shelved, and not released by
Crepuscule until 1985, with five tracks only , Haig having
finally vetoed the inclusion of Send in the Clowns.

THE GREAT WHITE HOPE

Thanks to the Island licensing deal Haig recorded his first album
in New York at the end of 1982, with the late Alex Sadkin
producing. Featuring a host of crack sessioneers (including
Bernie Worrell, Anton Fier and Jack Waldman), his new direction -
a brand of polished dance/electro - seemed a million miles away
from the abrasive edge of Josef K. Indeed Haig was already
disowning his past with a vengeance, informing the NME that JK
was a 'cockroach' he wanted squashed, although in fact songs such
as Adoration and Heaven Sent had begun life with that band. Yet
fine though songs such as Justice, Adoration and Stolen Love
were, Haig's solo debut played very much as a producer's record,
and in surrendering a measure of artistic control Haig lost
something of his identity. And, it cannot have helped that Sadkin
was then heavily involved with the odious Thompson Twins, whose
Tom Bailey also guested on the album.

The first single release on Island was Heaven Sent, a drastic
club refit of the earlier JK number. Despite Island's best
marketing efforts, however, it stalled at 74, and failed to
provide Haig with the hit many had confidently predicted. The
Rhythm Of Life album appeared in October 1983 and was accompanied
by a short seven date UK tour. Haig's touring group included
Malcolm Ross on guitar, together with bassist David McClymont
(also fresh from Orange Juice), drummer James Locke and former
Associate Alan Rankine. However, although the album sold
respectably Haig found himself caught between two commercial
stools. Plainly ahead of his time, Haig had perhaps moved too far
too fast, his polished pop alienating many Josef K fans not yet
ready to trade their raincoats for a sharp Italian two-piece and
a place in line outside Studio 54. Reviewing the album in NME,
Chris Bohn lamented the fate of an artist:

...dropped somewhere mid-Atlantic and left to drown in
liquid demi-disco. Though four percussionists are credited
the record has no forward momentum. It sort of slithers
across the dancefloor. Worse, Haig has tailored his
songwriting to serve a form he only imagines is there.
Cutesy couplets are left in mid air, grappling after non-
existent rhythm hooks... More than a name producer and an
NY studio he needs sympathetic musicians to bring out the
character of his songs.

Simple bad luck seems to have prevented all three singles
providing the solid hits which might have allowed Haig to cross
over to a new, wider audience. Inexplicably Island failed even
to release the album - or the singles - in the US, a market in
which they might have performed well. Although the slick New York
Remix mini album was belatedly issued in America in 1984
(appearing on Crepuscule in Europe), it was a textbook example
of too little too late. In 1990 Haig recalled of this difficult
period:

The main thing was that I didn't want to be the centre of
it all. The initial idea was just to keep working with
different people under the name Rhythm of Life. It was more
of a big joke. It all went a bit funny when I signed to
Island, but before there were quite a few things in the
pipeline. But Island wanted a pop image to sell... and they
didn't get one.

BIG BLUE WORLD

Already relations with Island had become strained. Incoming MD
Dave Robinson showed little enthusiasm for Haig's music, while
an overly candid Sounds interview and an abortive appearance on
a childrens' television show (Hold Tight) to promote Never Give
Up soured relations further. When Haig recorded a new single, Big
Blue World, in December, Island chose to cancel it just a
fortnight before its scheduled release. Fortunately, Crepuscule
continued to release Haig product in Europe, so that the delayed
record - with a sublime cover of Suicide's road classic Ghost
Rider on the flipside - arrived in the UK on import. Both sides
of the single featured the same group that Haig had formed to
promote the album live.

In 1984 Haig joined forces with several celebrated electro peers,
recording The Only Truth in collaboration with Bernard Sumner and
Donald Johnson (of New Order and A Certain Ratio respectively),
and The Executioner with Cabaret Voltaire. November saw the
completion of a new album, this time recorded in London with
Rankine co-producing. Unfortunately the failure of The Only Truth
as a single lead to Island severing the Crepuscule connection,
and so the untitled second album (co-produced by Alan Rankine)
was shelved. For the record, the tracklist ran as follows: Love
Eternal/Shining Hour/One Lifetime Away/Fear and Dancing/All Our
Love/Trust/Love and War/Big Blue World/The Only Truth.
Nevertheless all but the ballad All My Love were subsequently
released, with this (inferior) early version of Love Eternal even
appearing as a single over two years later.

THE WARP OF PURE FUN

Rather than release the shelved set on Crepuscule, it was decided
to combine half the album with new songs recorded throughout
1985. Haig launched his fightback later in the year with a
powerful single, Heaven Help You Now, and the excellent album
Warp Of Pure Fun. Again produced with Alan Rankine, it was a less
one-dimensional set than its predecessor, focusing on the songs
and arrangements (and live drums) rather than programmed rhythm
tracks, though without entirely abandoning club appeal. In the
UK Warp appeared on another short-lived Crepuscule offshoot,
Operation Afterglow, but while the album fared comparatively well
as an independent release, Afterglow failed to propel it into the
national chart.

Unhappy with limited sales, Haig left Crepuscule to seek another
major deal. After demos recorded for EMI came to nothing, Haig
spent most of 1986 writing new material, surviving on PRS
royalties from his Crepuscule back catalogue. He also found time
to embark on a fruitful partnership with another Associate, Billy
Mackenzie, the result being low key dates in Glasgow (May) and
Edinburgh (September), which mixed their own greatest hits with
covers such as Running Away and Yoko Ono's Walking On Thin Ice.
Later the pair united to perform Amazing Grace on a Scots
Hogmanay television programme, and each donated a song to the
other's forthcoming album. Chained would prove a highlight on the
next Haig album, although Mackenzie's version of Reach The Top
remains unreleased (as does Haig's) after the Associates' patchy
Glamour Chase set was shelved by WEA. Following Mackenzie's
untimely death in 1997 an entire album of Haig/Mackenzie
material, Memory Palace appeared on CD in 1999. Much warm light
on the pair's firm friendship is cast by Tom Doyle's admirable
biography, Glamour Chase, published by Bloomsbury in 1998.

Haig returned - albeit briefly - to Crepuscule in September 1987
to record several tracks, though the only new record to emerge
was the fine Torchomatic single, complete with spy theme and a
home-recorded instrumental cycle on the flipside. The European
Sun compilation album followed, including most of the shelved
Island album not included on Warp plus several rare b-sides, and
the unreleased Cabaret Voltaire collaboration from 1984. An
expanded CD version was licensed to German imprint Interphon.

CHAINED

Early in 1988 Haig financed the recording of a new album himself,
once more produced with Alan Rankine. Virgin offshoot Circa
purchased the tapes in August, but chose not to release the
album, titled Chain, until May the following year. Neither Chain
nor the lead single, Something Good, broke commercially, and to
some the album came as a disappointment, with strong material in
places undermined by underdeveloped arrangements. Sales were
scarcely assisted by Haig's refusal to undertake any lengthy
tours, and with much of his following was in Europe and Japan,
many fans were not even aware that a new record was available.
Nevertheless, a showcase at the ICA in London on May 18th saw
Haig and his band in fine and powerful form.

Following Drama, Swing In '82 and the Mackenzie pairing, 1988's
off the wall project came in the form of the Dub Organiser
single, a club cut recorded in collaboration with Allan Campbell
and released as a one-off on Manchester indie label Play Hard.

Unperturbed by Chain's modest commercial showing, Circa financed
the recording of a new album, produced in New York by dance gurus
Mantronix and Lil' Louis, and also by the Chimes, whose drummer
James Locke had been a periodic Haig collaborator since 1981. The
album marked a timely return to the dance orientation of Rhythm
of Life five years earlier, as suggested by its title, Right on
Line. But after the fine I Believe in You single failed to build
on a measure of club success, Circa delayed releasing the album
until a reworked Flight X (featuring rapper The Voice Of Reason)
broke. When two versions of this track stalled early in 1991 the
album was shelved. Unlike the loss of the second Island album
this was a genuine disaster, since Right on Line largely
comprised pin-sharp original material, together with another
wayward Suicide cover, this time the lush ballad Surrender.

CINEMATIQUE

With the RoL album in limbo, Haig released an instrumental set
of imaginary film themes through Les Temps Modernes, who had
previously issued the Josef K back catalogue on CD. Cinematique
appeared in September 1991 to glowing reviews, and comprised
three distinct suites, being City of Fun (accomplished noir
jazz), Lagondola (new age, almost) and Flashback (electronica).
In 1993 the Right on Line album finally emerged as Coincidence
vs Fate on the ever-accommodating Crepuscule label, albeit with
two weaker tracks relegated to the flipside of the accompanying
single (Surrender) and three new tracks added. After a two year
delay its state of the art production style might have sounded
a tad dated in places, but not fatally so, and in this writer's
opinion RoL/Coincidence... may yet prove to be the best Paul Haig
album to date.

Despite warm reviews neither Cinematique nor Coincidence vs Fate
sold in great numbers, due in part to low-key press and
distribution, and to Haig's ongoing reluctance to submit to self-
promotion. By his own admission:

I just don't like playing live much. Maybe once every two
years. It's a situation I can't handle. Up on stage it's
very strange. It just seems an awkward situation to be in.
You're on stage and there's all these people looking up at
you. I can't help laughing at the thought of it. I just
want to do it as little as possible. Other people love it.
It only depends on what kind of person you are, if your ego
can cope with it. Weird, eh? (Deadbeat, 1984)

With me it's quite simple. I just do my own thing and don't
compromise for anybody. If you can do this and still
succeed, that's perfect. New Order manage it - perverse and
breaking all the rules - they just make records that sell.
I hope I can fit in in my own way. There might be a place
for people who have some sort of background, who have
substance as opposed to being just another manufactured
act. But apart from that I don't see where I would fit. I
couldn't really define the sound. I don't think it's like
anybody else. (Melody Maker, 1989)

It's just music and records. That's the main thing for me.
I find the rest of it completely alien and uncomfortable.
I'll just have to retire quite soon. Not retire from making
music, just from all this [promo] kind of stuff I just find
it more and more ridiculous. Ideally I'd like to be
involved in the background, and still make music but not to
have to be seen or anything like that. I guess film music
is the obvious area for that kind of thing. Or weird
experimental records. (The Scotsman, 1990)

All of which is a great shame, since Haig remains one of
Britain's finest songwriters, and it seems a tad premature to
label him a Scott Walker for the new millennium. In 1999 Paul
Haig unveiled a new label, RoL, with the release of several
archive Billy McKenzie collections, and an excellent second
volume of the Cinematique series.

OTHER JOSEF K SOLO PROJECTS

Returning to the Josef K split back in 1981, Malcolm Ross and
Davy Weddell quickly became involved in the Happy Family, a band
based around quixotic singer/songwriter Nick Currie. Currie had
handed Ross a rough tape at JK's final show in Edinburgh, and
soon after Ross and Weddell helped him record a studio demo with
which he hoped to land a deal. Since Ross had already joined
Orange Juice, his involvement with the Happy Family remained
strictly casual. Nevertheless Fiction were sufficiently impressed
to offer the group two Scottish support slots with the Cure in
December, after which 4AD signed them for a one-off single.

Although the Happy Family was strictly a Nick Currie vehicle,
Much of the publicity attendant to the release of Innermost
Thoughts in April 1982 focused on the presence of 'former Josef
K bass player' David Weddell. After drummer Ian Stoddart fell ill
Ron Torrance stepped in to replace him, while yet another Josef
K connection came via guitarist Paul Mason, previously a JK
roadie. With the addition of keyboards, the group proceeded to
record The Man On Your Street as a five piece, producing a fine
(if rather mannered) literary concept album, which should
nonetheless please any Josef K fan on a musical level - even if
many found Currie's convoluted lyrics and outre obsessions a
little hard to swallow.

Despite some fine songwriting, the JK connection drew unenviable
comparisons, and the album was neither a critical nor a
commercial success. Indeed, even 4AD's cultish following steered
clear, although a remastered CD would in time appear. After a
third and final concert in Glasgow (with Jah Wobble) in December
1982 the group split, apathy and disinterest seemingly the cause
rather than musical differences. Currie returned to university,
and after graduating reinvented himself as Momus, going on to
record a string of acclaimed (sort of) albums for El, Creation
and other labels, and achieving semi-stardom in Japan.

In 1984 Les Temps Modernes released ten 4AD demos on cassette
only, together with a booklet featuring Happy Family ephemera and
texts. One of these tracks, March In Turin, also appeared on
LTM's Heures Sans Soleil compilation album a year later. Finally,
completists may wish to invest in early copies of the third Momus
album Tender Pervert (Creation), the initial run of which
contained a free 7" featuring a song recorded for the 4AD album
but left unused, The Poison Boyfriend.

Prior to joining the Happy Family, Ron Torrance had briefly
joined Edinburgh band Boots For Dancing, although without playing
on any of their records. After the demise of the Happy Family
Weddell played with a variety of bands, including Lip Machine and
the High Bees (with Malcolm Ross), before teaming up with
Torrance again in 1985 as Heyday. Fronted by Steven Harrison (who
had earlier cut an RoL single with Paul Haig), Heyday recorded
an ep for Crepuscule, produced by - surprise! - Haig and Rankine.
For reasons unknown the three tracks remained unreleased until
Tel Quel Records licensed them as part of a Steven Harrison mini
album in 1987. By then, however, Heyday had come and gone. The
Heyday track Sad and Blue also appeared on a Crepuscule
compilation, The Rough with the Smooth, in 1986, albeit credited
to Harrison alone.

MALCOLM ROSS

Following the demise of Josef K guitarist Malcolm Ross become
something of a gun for hire, and just one week after the split
was announced accepted an invitation to join Orange Juice. Since
OJ had already recorded their debut album You Can't Hide Your
Love Forever Ross did not contribute, but did complete the
accompanying tour, and remained on board when the original band
fragmented early the following year. The Ross/Collins/Manyika/
McClymont line-up then hit commercial paydirt with the hit single
Rip It Up in February 1983, which climbed to Number 8. Sadly,
Orange Juice were unable to consolidate on this success, with no
less than nine of their singles stalling between 75 and 41
between 1981 and 1984. Ross contributed several songs during his
stay with the band and stuck around until late 1983, but
eventually quit after clashes with Edwyn Collins over the Texas
Fever album.

Ross immediately hooked up with mercurial Roddy Frame in Aztec
Camera as second guitarist, joining in time to record and tour
the Knife album. Ross's role in Aztec Camera was strictly as a
session player, and with their work over the group disbanded,
Frame only later re-emerging with the Love album in 1987. Ross
then guested on the second Blancmange album, Believe You Me, and
also appeared with the duo live.

In 1985 Ross embarked on the High Bees project with wife Susan
Buckley on vocals. However, after a handful of live concerts and
a lone single, She's Killing Time, on Supreme International in
October, the project faded. Since then Ross has guested with Paul
Haig, former Moodist Dave Graney, and - with Weddell - backed
Nick Currie/Momus live. After completing a music degree, Ross
released two distinguished solo albums on chic German label
Marina, Low Shot (1995) and Happy Boy (1998). A third set is
currently being readied for release.

Josef K manager Allan Campbell, incidently, is now an established
BBC television producer, with Film 2000 among his many credits.
While it seems highly unlikely that his erstwhile charges will
regroup, the band's rich legacy - and any future records that
individual members release - will continue to inspire for many
years to come.

What a great day for the Scottish, isn't it? And I don't even understand a single word they say half of the time ....

Either way: enjoy you very own Paul Haig - Day today, friends .... and stay tuned!

Dirk

Some Of The Best There Ever Has Been: '1990'

2009-03-24T16:25:00.010+01:00

Hello party people,

for a starter: apologies for the recent lack of posts on this site, but Little Loser heavily demands attention all the freakin' time! He either sleeps or shits, but inbetween he wants us to play with him without any break at all .... and of course we are more than happy to do so. This of course means that I rarely find the time to make up my mind in order to post some more clever stuff on Sexyloser. Nevertheless I stole myself away, so please find my favourite tunes from 1990:

Sloppy Seconds - 'I Don't Want To Be A Homosexual' (mp3). Sloppy Seconds is a Ramones-influenced punk band from Indianapolis that started in the mid-1980s. With such underground hits as "Come Back, Traci" (a tribute to an underaged Traci Lords), "I Want 'em Dead", and "So Fucked Up", the band prefers to sing about TV shows, comic books, alcohol, being fat, and getting drunk. They have been quoted as being proud to be fat, drunk, and stupid. Their name is the slang term for when a man has intercourse with another person who already has received another man's semen in the relevant orifice.

I stole that from Wikipedia, I must admit, but I like it very much ... being fat, drunk and stupid myself at times. Can't tell much about the explanation of the name though ... at least I hope I can't .... certainly not knowingly ... but you never know, ey? Jesus!!! Aaaanyway: the track above was released on a 7" on Toxic Shock Records from the USA back in 1990. And very fine it is, to be sure.

Let me point out, please, that I have no prejudices whatsoever against homosexuals: it's just not my cup of tea, that's all.

The Pixies - 'Monkey Gone To Heaven' (mp3). Not the original version of this classic tune from 1988 for you folks, but one recorded for the BBC - Mark Goodier show on August 18, 1990, first transmitted August 20, 1990. Not very much different to the original, you might argue - and you would be right - but I like it very much .... and I hope you do so as well. One of a whole bunch of Pixies' tunes on a compilation on Elektra, issued in 1998 and taken from various BBC - sessions the band did over the years.

If you ever - like I did - wondered what this "man is five, devil is six ..." - stuff in the lyrics might possibly be all about, here's some more or less helpful explanation from Black Francis himself: "It's a reference from what I understand to be Hebrew numerology, and I don't know a lot about it or any of it really. I just remember someone telling me of the supposed fact that in the Hebrew language, especially in the Bible, you can find lots of references to man in the 5th and Satan in the 6th and God in the 7th. [...] I didn't go to the library and figure it out"

Peter & The Test Tube Babies - 'Love In The First Degree' (mp3). And yessssss, friends, finally Sexyloser goes Stock/Aitken/Waterman ... well: quite. As you might imagine, Peter and his Test Tube Babies give the 1987 Bananarama tune a good kick in the ass, which makes it become one of my faves from 1990. Taken from an album on Rebel Records called 'The $hit Factory'.

The Lemonheads - 'Different Drum' (mp3). I like it when they do cover versions and this is a very fine example: originally performed by Linda Ronstadt, albeit written by Michael Nesmith (out of The Monkees). It appears on a 12" EP called 'Favorite Spanish Dishes' (mine is calamary in a garlic/tomato sauce by the way: dunno if this is typically Spanish though, but I used to eat it frequently when being in Spain .... but I digress, sorry), released on Atlantic Records in the June of 1990 ...

The Bridewell Taxis - 'Honesty' (mp3). This is the third single from Leeds' Bridewell Taxis: I have always loved them, each of the three records ('Just Good Friends' ('89), 'Give In' ('90) plus the one above) is purely awesome and I recommend to buy them all as soon as you possibly can! A 12" on Stolen Records ... from 1990, as you might already have gathered.

That's it for today, dearest friends .... as usual I sincerely do hope you liked what I chose: leave comments, please, to tell me whether this was the case or not!

Have fun and enjoy,

Dirk

Little Loser's Lottery: Pt. 1

2009-03-11T13:53:00.009+01:00

Dearest friends and followers,

some of you might already know about it, others may not: a few weeks ago Mrs. Loser and me finally managed to adopt our son (who was delivered to us on February 19th). Little man is six months old today and he is - you may well believe me - a bundle of joy, there is no other way to desribe it. But also, as you might imagine, he needs to be watched all the freaking time and when he finally decides to sleep, Mrs. Loser and me do the same within a second. Nights are short and days are long, but I won't complain! Nevertheless this means that I rarely find the time to work on this site these days and I hope you forgive me for that, friends!

Either way: yesterday I dragged him upstairs to the room where my records are and forced him to do his first Little Loser's Lottery: the first record/CD on the shelf he pointed at with his cute little fingers I pulled out in order to play to you. Although he grinned foolishly all the time, I think he did a pretty admirable job and showed excellent taste ... as you might be able to confirm after having listened to this:

[1] from the LP - shelf: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: 'Tender Prey'. On Mute Records from 1988 and I had a hard time whether to play to you 'Watching Alice' or 'Slowly Goes The Night'. Well, I decided to go for the latter, so here's for you: 'Slowly Goes The Night' (mp3).

[2] from the Singles - shelf: The Levellers - 'The Julie E.P.' A four-track 7" in clear vinyl (always nice, but sound-quality-wise rather disturbing, I always think). I chose their version of The Clash's 'English Civil War' (mp3), one of the songs on the B-Side. The record is from 1994, on China Records.

[3] from the Compilations - shelf: 'One Pound 99'. Now, this is a 1985 Beggar's Banquet compilation with rather a fair amount of goodies on it. Not easy to choose which one to play (Love & Rockets' 'Haunted When The Minutes Drag' is as good as Hank Wangford's 'Never Wear Mascara (When You Love A Married Man)' ... I went for this one: The Ramones - 'Bonzo Goes To Bitburg' (mp3).

[4] from the 12" - shelf: Here my very own private expert picked the Inspiral Carpets' 1989 Peel Session - 12", again on coloured vinyl. I chose 'Directing Traffic' (mp3).

[5] from the CD - shelf: A very useful thing this is and I picked it up years ago in a bargain-bin for a few cents: a 4-track-CD called 'Classic Tracks', I have no idea what label it is on, but it seems to be one in a series of CD's that bring together some quite astonishing tracks ... tracks that the editors regard as being 'classic' in one form or another. On it you'll find Nicky Thomas, John Holt, Ken Boothe and - my pick - the fantastic 'Hurt So Good' (mp3) by Susan Cadogan. A real corker in mono, friends ..... and one of my favourite songs ever!

Well, I hope Little Loser found tunes for you all to enjoy. For me he did his job perfectly well and I hope to be able to convince him to pick more records in due course!

Have fun,

Dirk

Finn Daniel: 'Settle'

2009-03-11T13:40:00.004+01:00

Dearest friends,

I must apologise that it took me nearly one month to present this little gem to you. Back in February I received an email from a Finn Daniel of Leamington Spa of all places, who - very politely - asked whether I would mind to post one of his songs on Sexyloser. Well, Finn, as I wrote to you earlier on: I'm more than pleased to do so, because the song is a clear winner in my books.

Finn Daniel: 'If I Get Good' (mp3)

The tune is taken from Finn's debut release, an EP called 'Settle', released on his own label, Stickman Records.

I strongly recommend that you visit Finn's site if you have a minute, because as well as more information about him it offers more great tunes to listen to. Of course you also can get hold of the EP on the site, the adress is http://www.finndan.co.uk/

Also I pursuaded Finn to contribute to the next 'Musicians Introduce Their Own Songs' - episode on the Contrast Podcast and I have no idea what song he might possibly choose. Either way I'm convinced that it'll be as good as the one posted above: so look out for it, folks!

Cheers,

Dirk

Giant Paw: debut CD release

2009-02-19T06:00:00.002+01:00

Hello friends,

another mail came in, this time from a London-based band called Giant Paw. They release their debut CD called 'The Stars Are Ours' on March 2nd 2009 and they were nice enough to send me an advance copy along with a handwritten letter in which they say that they would be happy if I'd play a track on Sexyloser. And so I shall, of course:

Giant Paw - 'Skin Of Your Teeth' (mp3)

To be absolutely frank to you: the above track really is okay for me, although I'm not entirely convinced by the rest of the CD. Then again: I'm an old fashioned git who is most probably stuck in the Eighties or even Seventies musically. So Giant Paw might well be The Next Big Thing ... and I'm just too stupid to have recognised it. I would suggest: get hold of a copy on March 2nd, listen to it and judge for yourself. The press release letter accompanying the record quotes the likes of Pink Floyd and The Flaming Lips as bands Giant Paw might be compared to. This always is a dangerous thing to do, in my eyes, but there you are ...

'The Stars Are Ours' will be released on Feral Electronics and it was mixed by the legendary Kramer. And you know what: this fact alone should convince you to spend some of your money on Giant Paw, people!

All the best,

Dirk

For Mr. Suave: The Nirvana Devils

2009-02-19T05:07:00.002+01:00

Hello my beauties,

a comment came in from a Mr. Suave to 'My Peel Tapes Pt. 30', in which I played a track by the wonderful Nirvana Devils. Mr. Suave wanted to know more about the band, but alas I can't tell you pretty much about them, Mr. Suave. But - unlike you - I also have the follow-up 7" to their brilliant debut ('Some Foreign Shore'):

The Nirvana Devils - 'Secret Agent Girl' (mp3)

Also on Exile Records from Germany, also released in 1985, and - believe it or not - even the back of the cover basically looks the same as the one of 'Some Foreign Shore' .... with all the necessary or unnecessary information on it.

The tunes itself are equally good in my eyes, therefore: enjoy, Mr. Suave ... and the rest of you as well, of course!

Dirk

My Peel Tapes - Part 30

2009-02-16T10:01:00.001+01:00

Okay dear friends,

thanks for your patience: you've managed to go with me through half a life of music, provided by the great John Peel. This is the final edition of 'My Peel Tapes' and again I sincerely hope that in it you will find something you like:

(328) Juniper Moon - 'Volveras' (mp3). "Young Spanish band - all their members are in their teens! - debut with a wild combination of blistering guitar raids, hyperspeed drumming and soft female vocals. Pure teenage energy, as convincing and impressive as their live sets. Vigorous pop pills, short-lengthed but super abundant in catching energy, teenage self-confidence and hyper-vitamined guitars.": that's what their label - Elefant Records from sunny Madrid, Spain, had to say about this 7" from 1999. I suppose I like it so much because I don't understand any single word they sing .... my Spanish is, as is my French, best described as weak: I mean, I can order a beer or to, but that's about it ... then again: do you need to have more knowledge of a language than that?!

(329) New Order - 'Brutal' (mp3). Watch out, Leonardo DiCaprio - fans worldwide: this is from the soundtrack of the film 'The Beach', not one of my personal favourites, I must admit (although I think good ole' Leo is rather a smart actor at times (albeit not in this particular film) and not one of the best soundtracks, that's for sure. This tune is not bad though, not because it's by New Order, it's just not bad, that's all. Available on a 2000 CD from Rhino/WEA.

(330) Subway Sect - 'Nobody's Scared' (mp3). On March, 23 in 1978, Subway Sect released their debut single, "Nobody's Scared". It was backed by "Dontsplitit". They released two singles under the Subway Sect name without an album. They later changed their name to Vic Godard & The Subway Sect. The Bristol, England punk band disbanded in 1981. Vic Godard has recently re-formed the band. I heard one of the new songs: not bad at all, people, not bad at all!

(331) Hefner - 'Twisting Mary's Arm' (mp3). Darren Hayman says: "'Twisting Mary's Arm' is a very old song that dates back to one of mine and Ant's old bands; 'Big Boys Toys', with changed lyrics. The song isn't about anything, just a nonsensical collection of words. It was the song we used to finish ninety percent of the shows with. Sometimes I felt funny singing those lyrics to a crowd though, it sounded like I was being very ungrateful.". I took it from their wonderful 'Boxing Hefner' - LP on Too Pure Records, released in 2000.

(332) Positively Testcard - 'Twist With The Morning Stars' (mp3). A South London band who play Kwela, an upbeat, whistle-led style originating in South Africa in the 1950s. Here's their homepage where you'll find the song above on their 2000 CD 'Gas Up My Hotrod Stoker, The Kwela Groove Frenzy's Hit Town' ... a wonderful title, but alas I always found the CD to be a bit too expensive, considering that I have to add p&p into Germany. Perhaps one of these days I'll get hold of it anywhere else, who know. But I'm sure it's a gem ...

(333) The Undertones - 'Jimmy Jimmy' (mp3). Once again, a classic power-pop- tune from yesteryear, and again: why not? Their third single, on Sire Records, from 1979. Simply wonderful!

(334) Smog - 'Dress Sexy At My Funeral' (mp3). An outstanding track from a somewhat disappointing album, I must say, 'Dongs Of Sevotion' (Drag City Records, 2000). Perhaps this is because it's a double-album, and there are not many very good double-albums around, I think, in fact 'London Calling' is the only one which comes to mind right now where all of the songs are just perfect (by the way: your search for 'London Calling' in Smog - discographies will turn out to be in vain, younger readers, it was by a band called 'The Clash'). Either way: Smog basically was Bill Callahan on his own and as far as I know he now releases records under this name.

(335) Elastica - 'Da Da Da' (mp3). Originally done by German outfit Trio back in 1982 - and I remember very well how outraged older people over here were when this was released and frequently shown on the telly ... they thought it was the end of German culture - you can find it on their album 'The Menace' on Deceptive/Atlantic from 2000.

(336) Grandaddy - 'Everything Beautiful Is Far Away' (mp3). From 1998, a CD-single on Big Cat Records ... and what a marvellous little tune this is, friends!! A little bit more on Grandaddy: here.

(337) Brassy - 'No Competition' (mp3). A British band, but with an American singer, Muffin Spencer, who, by the way, is the sister of Jon Spencer out of the wonderful Jon Spencer's Blues Explosion. Their biography once read: "Brassy are Elastica sharing a sloppy wet kiss with the Beasties." And you know what? This is not far from the truth! 'No Competition' is on Brassy's debut LP on Wiija, 'Got It Made' (2001).

(338) ESG - 'Moody' (mp3). This, I once read, is supposed to be the most-sampled track in the history of recorded music. Whether this is true or not, I obviously can't tell. But it's a neat tune, taken from a very good band-compilation, a double LP actually, called 'A South Bronx Story', it was released on Universal Records in 2000. 'Moody' itself though is from 1982. More on E.S.G.: here.

(339) Clinic - 'Distortions' (mp3). Another fine track from a another fine album, their first full-length release: 'Internal Wrangler' (Domino Records 2000). Not as good as the fantastic 'The Return Of Evil Bill' ... and perhaps not even comparable, but still worthwile downloading ... so do it now while you can!

(340) Silicon Teens - 'Memphis Tennessee' (mp3). I'm pretty sure that quite a lot of you out there will say, 'now, this is the fucking best song in the whole episode' ... and you may even be right! If you never heard this before, please please please have a listen, boys and girls! Silicon Teens basically were no other than Daniel Miller, founder of Mute Records (more about this: here) and they/he released an album back in 1980 (on Sire) called 'Music For Parties'. Great stuff altogether, but this version of the Chuck Berry - tune is simply outstanding!

(341) Cay - 'Resurrexit' (mp3). A CD-single on Org Records from 2000, and another brilliant one as well. Some little discussion about the merits of Cay here ... personally I know nothing about them at all. But the tune is a winner, that's for sure!

(342) Ballboy - 'Essential Wear For Future Trips To Space' (mp3). Well, over the years Ballboy have become one of my favourite bands. Clever lyrics, great tunes ... what more can you possibly ask for? This is the first tune of theirs I heard John Peel play and I was fascinated by them from this point onwards. I think it was released as a single, but you'll also find it on the -highly recommended - full-length CD 'Club Anthems' (SL Records, 2001).

(343) Ladytron - 'Another Breakfast With You' (mp3). Again from a compilation, and again from a fine one as well. Of course not all of the 15 tracks are perfect, but most of them are close to it, I would say. 'We Love You ... So Love Us Too' was released by We Love You Records as a CD in 2001. I'm pretty sure it has become one of those items that you will more or less find rather easily in the bargain bins of your local record shop. If this turn out to be the case: do spend a quid or two for it, it's worth having!

(344) The Outcasts - 'Just Another Teenage Rebel' (mp3). Something from Belfast for you now for a change .... a total classic from November 1978, the band's second 7" on Good Vibrations. Good to hear this gem again, isn't it?

(345) Schneider TM - 'The Light 3000' (mp3). Well, as you might already have gathered, I'm not much of an expert when it comes to more contemporary music, therefore I can only tell you that I think this was first released on a 12" called 'Binokular' on City Slang Records in 2000. What I know for sure though is that it's a cover of a Smiths - favourite, 'There's A Light That Never Goes Out' ... also a great song, always on top when people are asked about their favourite Smiths - release. I prefer their older stuff though, but I digress ....

(346) The New Pornographers - 'Letter From An Occupant' (mp3). A CD-single on Matador (from 2000), also included on their 'Mass Romantic' - CD. More on the band: here.

(347) Mary Monday & Her Bitches - 'I Gave My Punk Jacket To Ricky' (mp3). Again, a little classic: from the USA, a 7" on Malicious Records, released in 1977. As it is so often the case with those great bands from yesteryear (those which didn't put out that many record), you are practically unable to ascertain any information about them in the internet at all. Alas Mary Monday & Her Bitches are no exception, so there's nothing I can tell you about them.

(348) The Beat - 'Ranking Full Stop' (mp3). From one of the great albums of all time, 'Just Can't Stop It', released on IRS in 1982, this is the last song I ever got to hear on John Peel's Music on BFBS.

Although BFBS officials still claim that Peel recorded his shows for them 'until his death', the truth is somewhat different: he used to record those shows at home, they were sent to BFBS in London and then broadcasted worldwide. It took Peel a few weeks to find out that the shows he had recorded just weren't broadcasted any longer and only upon request BFBS told him that they wouldn't want him to be on the air no more ..... after some 30 (!) years of working for them!

Back in 2000 there was no thought of internet radio or whatsoever, nor were any possibilities to listen to his BBC shows in Germany on the radio. So I had to rely on the music papers, which turned out not be very useful. In the end - I must admit - I gave up on new music: there was no John Peel to point me to it, you see.

On 26 October 2004 I was honeymooning in Jamaica. Me and Mrs. Loser hired a roofless Suzuki Jeep, rather an old car without any special equipment, you see, in order to drive from Negril to Port Antonio. The car's aerial was nothing more than a piece of crooked wire and the only station we could receive was - curiously enough - the BBC World Service. The reception was far away from being superb, as you might imagine, but they played The Cure and The Undertones and Joy Division all the time, so I had a great time driving along in the sun.

But in all of my life I will never forget the moment - we were approaching the suburbs of Kingston - when suddenly an announcement came up that Peel had died whilst being on holiday in Peru. I had to stop the car and even these days Mrs. Loser tells me that she never had seen an expression on my face like this again. I mean, I only met Peel about seven or eight times in my life and yes, I once stayed at his home for three days back in 1984, which means I never got to know him very well, but nevertheless he always has been like a father to me, as well with what he had to say on his BFBS show as with what he wrote in his little letters he'd send to me in all these years. Honestly, since his death, I think not a single day has passed on which I didn't think of him with the deepest respect possible.

The following was recorded by the BBC's answering machine on October 24th, 2004.

24.10.04 (mp3)

Miss you, John. Thanks for all the music, mate.

Dirk

Lady Loser's Lottery .... Pt. 4

2009-02-07T19:37:00.007+01:00

And yes, dear friends, another edition of Lady Loser's Lottery is about to follow. For those of you who don't know what this is all about: I asked my dear wife to pick five items out of my record collection ... with closed eyes, of course. Well, this is what she picked a few minutes ago:

(1) [from the CD-shelf]: The Business - 'Suburban Rebels'. A Dojo - reissue of the 1983 LP, orginally released on Link Records. I chose this one: 'Harry May' (mp3).

(2) [from the 7"-shelf]: Throw That Beat In The Garbagecan! - 'Peng!'. Something from Germany for you now for a change ... and why not? A 3-track - 7" on September Gurls Records from 1989. I think the tune on the A-Side is the one to prefer, it's called 'Having A Laugh!' (mp3).

(3) [ from the 12"-shelf]: Half Man Half Biscuit - 'Dickie Davis Eyes'. Well, all of you know this by hear by now, I would think. Therefore I'll go for one of the two tracks on the B-Side, one you don't hear all that often: 'I Left My Heart In Papworth General' (mp3). On Probe Plus Records from 1986.

(4) [from the Compilations - shelf]: 'Indie Top 20 - Vol. XI'. A double-LP in fact, which brings together, as you might imagine, some top indie tunes from some of our common favourite bands. What do I go for? Not terribly easy, because all of the songs on it are pretty good. But this is one I always quite liked: The Honey Smugglers - 'Listen' (mp3). Originally on Non Fiction Records from 1990, the compilation itself though is on Beechwood Music from 1991.

(5) [from the LP - shelf]: Sonic Youth - 'Experimental Jet Set, Trash And No Star'. A curious title, which I never fully understood, but who cares? On Geffen Records from 1994, my choice is this: 'Bull In The Heather' (mp3).

Well, I hope Mrs. Loser chose something which pleased at least a few of you. I should tell you that she first picked Depeche Mode's 'Speak And Spell' out of the CD-shelf (I would have chosen 'Photographic'), but because I didn't want the same shit happen to me as to my pal J.C. aka The Vinyl Villain (read about it here), I told her to have another pick ...

Have fun and enjoy, friends!

Dirk

My Peel Tapes - Part 29

2009-01-30T08:33:00.003+01:00

Hello my brave boys and girls in the trenches, time for another episode of 'My Peel Tapes', the penultimate one in fact. So enjoy this one before it's all over:

(304) Prolapse - 'Autocade' (mp3). From Leicester and on Radarscope Records. 'Autocade' (mp3) is one of four tracks on a CD-Single from 1997 .... and rather a nice tune for all of that! Prolapse released quite a lot of stuff to my surprise, I just know this one and their 'Killing The Bland', featured in a previous edition of 'My Peel Tapes'. More on Prolapse: here.

(305) The King - 'No Woman, No Cry' (mp3). Now, this is from one of my all time-favourite albums ever, people! The King is but one of too many Elvis - impersonators, the difference between him and the others is a) he doesn't do Elvis - songs and b) he's simply outstanding! If memory serves correctly, he's a postman from Ireland who finally managed to have a CD released back in 1998, which he - cleverly - titled 'Gravelands' (EMI Records). The thing is: on it he only does songs by people who are actually dead, and - believe it or not - you can listen to it in one go and there isn't a single bad track on it!! Please do yourself a favour and click here for the tracklisting. You will see he chose a great variety of cool tunes. This is a record that shouldn't miss in any decent collection, folks .... take my advice and go out and get it somewhere!!

(306) Belle & Sebastian - 'A Century Of Fakers' (mp3). Well, they did do so many brilliant songs, didn't they? I find it always rather hard to decide which ones I like best, but this is most surely one of them: a masterpiece, taken from their '3 .. 6 .. 9 .. Seconds Of Light' - 7" on Jeepster from 1997. More on this record: here.

(307) Anorak Girl - 'Plastic Supermodel' (mp3). Right on the heels of Helen Love's departure from the Damaged Goods Label came Anorak Girl! Totally in the casio-pop vein a-la Helen Love, but without Joey Ramone references for miles around. A very cute funky colored 7" (sort of this swampy green with pink swirls) from 1997 .... and well worth listening to again these days!

(308) Clinic - 'IPC Subeditors Dictate Our Youth' (mp3). The title track from the band's very first EP, released on their own Aladdin's Cave of Golf Record Label in 1997. I have no idea what it might possibly be all about, but all in all it is an excellent song, I always thought. And it led me to buy their 'Internal Wrangler' - album some three years later ... either way: here's their official site.

(309) Golinski Brothers - 'Bloody' (mp3). Championed by Peel all the time since it's release in 1980 on Badge Records. A wonderful song, but be warned: if you never heard this before you will most likely not be able to get it out of your head for quite some time .... it has a nifty sax riff and everything, but it's the first verse of the lyric that really stood the test of time:

"I'm gonna go where they've never seen snow, send my giro to Cairo. I cant stand another day, I gotta get away. I'm not impressed, my life's in a mess. I get so depressed, still you gotta have a laugh: ha ha ha ha. Chorus: What am I bloody well s'posed to do - got my bloody well self bloody stuck on you ..."

(310) The Dodgems - 'Lord Lucan Is Missing' (mp3). A 7" on Criminal Records from 1980. Well, what shall I say about this record? A total classic. Again. More on the mysterious disappearance of Lord Lucan: here.

(311) Let's Get The Replicants - 'Skullcrusher' (mp3). From one of the rarer formats in the wonderful world of vinyl pressing, a one-sided 10", on Eastwest Records from 1998. Let's Get The Replicants are no other than the wonderful Dawn Of The Replicants and what you find here, my friends, is the David Holmes & Tim Goldsworthy remix. A great tune and worth a download, if you ask me. And: the record actually starts like that - it's not me having made another stupid mistake!

(312) The High Fidelity - 'Addicted To A TV' (mp3). A great stomper from former Soup Dragon Sean Dickson ... really a pretty neat return of him on a 12" on Plastique Records from 1997. I can't really imagine that The High Fidelity are still alive and kicking these days, at least I haven't heard new stuff from the band for ages .....

(313) Selwyn - 'Easy For You' (mp3). Perhaps you young people are more clever than me and can ascertain any information about Selwyn on the internet .... I can't. But what I can tell you is that I have their limited edition 7" here on Cripperty Records from 1997 ... and you don't. A shame, really, because the tune is very fine indeed. So have a listen ....

(314) The Jesus & Mary Chain - 'Rocket' (mp3). I still regard 'Psychocandy', the band's 1985 debut as a milestone, full of outstanding songs, which were way ahead of their time back then. I listened to some of the stuff they recorded after 'Psychocandy', but a lot of it I missed, you know how these things work. But regardless of the sheer brilliance of 'Psychocandy', 'Rocket' is, I think, the best song The Jesus & Mary Chain have ever done. Hidden away as one of four tracks on the 'Cracking Up' - CD on Creation Records from 1998, this track shows again how outstandingly awesome they were ... some 13 years after their start!

(315) Sonic Youth - 'Sunday' (mp3). Perhaps this is my favourite Sonic Youth - tune ... and yes, I know very well that this will upset Sonic Youth - fans quite a lot. But I've listened to most of the 'old' stuff of theirs, and most of it I can well cope with, don't get me wrong here, please. But this track has something special that I like keep coming back to, don't know what it is exactly though.

'Sunday' was the first and only single Sonic Youth released from their 1998 album 'A Thousand Leaves' on Polydor.

(316) Grandaddy - 'Summer Here Kids' (mp3). On V2 Records from 1998, again a great song from Grandaddy. Taken from their 'Under The Western Freeway' - album, which, I must admit, I don't have, but, upon the evidence of this track alone (and of 'Everything Beautiful Is Far Away', posted previously) I certainly should have. Perhaps one of these days I find it in a bargain bin in a little record shop, who knows?

(317) Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - 'Spanish Dance Troupe' (mp3). The title track from their 1999 album on Mantra, although I assume that Peelie - again - played a pre-release. Otherwise a whole year slipped without me even having noticed it! Then again: perhaps I was rather short on money in 1998 and didn't buy many records. Or too much envolved in sexual activities to find the time to record the Peel Show once a week. Who knows? Anyway, a great band they were, alas they disbanded in 2006. And, mind you, 'Spanish Dance Troupe' was their sixth album! Strange, isn't it, how many many really good bands came from Wales (bearing in mind how small Wales is) over the years .....

(318) New Order - 'Lonesome Tonight' (mp3). Finally, dearest friends and followers, after years and years of contemplating, I've made my mind up about what is the best song New Order have ever done: it's this one, the B-Side of their 'Thieves Like Us' - 12" from 1984 on Factory Records. Enjoy it!

(319) Speeder - 'Hey! What Do I Know?' (mp3). "Not very much!", I hear you shout, and of course you're absolutely right. All I can tell you about Speeder that this here is a 7" on Creeping Bent Records from 1999 ...

(320) Princess Kaiulani - 'Alamoana Fade Away' (mp3). A great song, again!!! One of many unfulfilled wishes of mine is to get hold of a copy of this 7" on Motorway Records from Japan. I remember sending cash to Darla Records in the States back in '99, because they had the record on mailorder, alas the money got lost somewhere on it's way to the USA ... at least so Darla claimed. Bastards! The tune itself is hard to describe, it sounds a bit like Fantastic Plastic Machine playing a song based on a Hawaiian version of the 'E-I-E-I-O' at the end of "Old McDonald's Farm", with a touch of Trio's 'Da Da Da'. Most importantly, it works! Again, and I know I said this before: download this if you want to do yourself a favour!

(321) Half Man Half Biscuit - 'It's Clichéd To Be Cynical At Christmas' (mp3). From their eighth full-length release, 'Trouble Over Bridgwater', on, of course, Probe Plus Records. Christmas is over, I'm afraid, but I'm willing to have a small bet that this is a most enjoyable tune also in January or February ...

(322) Elastica & Mark E. Smith - 'How He Wrote Elastica Man' (mp3). From a 6-track-EP called, as far as I can tell, '6-Track-EP' ... and why not? Released in 1999 on Deceptive Records and a nice follow-up to their fantastic debut album. Together with Smith himself grumbling away in the background they have a go at The Fall classic 'How I Wrote Elastic Man' from 1980. And a neat one at that!

(323) The Quads - 'There's Never Been A Night' (mp3). An oldie again, and yes, I know that you like to listen to these things from time to time ... nothing wrong with that, if you ask me. A 7" on Big Bear Records from 1979. Also scroll down to listen to The Quads' absolutely brilliant 'There Must Be Thousands' .... you'll find it somewhere at the bottom of this site. Better use some 'search' - function, if such a thing exists ... it's worth the effort, believe me!

(324) Culture - 'Two Sevens Clash' (mp3). 'Two Sevens Clash' is - without any doubt - one of the great reggae albums of our time, it was recorded in 1976 and released in 1977 on Joe Gibbs' label in Jamaica. The title was based on a prediction by Marcus Garvey, who said there would be chaos on July 7, 1977, when the "sevens" met. With its apocalyptic message, the song created a stir on the island and many Jamaican businesses and schools shuttered their doors for the day. I'll play you the 1982 Peel Session version of the title track, not because it's superior to the original release, but I like it a lot .... and I rule!

(325) Murry The Hump - 'Colouring Book' (mp3). The title track from an EP on Malthouse from 1999 and it's incredible: they've a shit name, they're from Aberystwyth, the B-side's called 'Kebab Or Shag'... How can something so wrong be so right?

(326) Melys - 'Porn Myself' (mp3). Will I ever get tired of listening to Melys in my life? Most probably not. Their songs are by and large not really 'catchy', neverteless I have always enjoyed what they did over the years. 'Porn Myself' is one out of four tracks (all equally good in my humble opinion) on a CD-EP on Sylem from 1999. Melys homepage: here.

(327) Baxendale - 'An American Friend' (mp3). I remember picking this item up in a London superstore, shortly after it's release ... and again, a much treasured item it is: a 7" on 180 g vinyl from the Czech Republic in fact, on Evil World Records. The inspiration for the band's name comes from Leo Baxendale, who was a famous british comic illustrator.

Enough for today, pop-pickers. Watch out for the final episode of 'My Peel Tapes', which you'll find here in - more or less - due course. Comments - as usual - are highly appreciated ...

Stay in tune!

Dirk

My Peel Tapes - Part 28

2009-01-15T09:56:00.002+01:00

Yes, people,

and here we go, here we go, here we go .... another edition of 'My Peel Tapes' ... where we find ourselves quite some years back in time ... in 1997 in fact. Some really cool tunes were released then, and here are some examples. Enjoy!

(289) Kenickie - 'Punka' (mp3). Orginally released as a 7" on EMI Disc in 1996, re-released a year later on the same label and also available on their debut album 'At The Club', also from 1997. They were a great band, sounding really 'fresh' back in those days. Formed in Sunderland in 1994, disbanded in 1998 and again I don't have any idea what they possibly might be doing nowadays.

(290) The Fall - 'Don't Call Me Darling' (mp3). From the band's 'Cerebral Caustic' - LP on Permanent Records, released in 1995. You know, I really hung on Peel's lips for nearly 20 years, but never had I been able to share his enthusiasm for The Fall. To me they have never been more than an 'okay-type-of-band', of course they did some brilliant tunes, but also a fair amount of unlistenable stuff. 'Don't Call Me Darling' is pretty much okay for me though, and I hope you like it as well.

(291) Jane Bond & The Undercovermen - 'Kiss My Gun' (mp3). Played by Peel as part of his little 'Jane Bond - retrospective', which he did around 1998, some 15 or so years after the original release of 'Politically Correct'. 'Politically Correct' is one of the most criminally underrated records of our time, the second album by the band and each track on it is a winner. As far as I know this record dates 1982, although I'm pretty sure that this can't be right: I think it was not issued before 1984 or even 1985, on Dreamworld in the USA and on Normal Records here in Germany. It is not easy to ascertain any information about Jane Bond & The Undercovermen on the internet, apparently they never got the attention they deserved.

(292) Suckle - 'Boyfriend' (mp3). Backside of their 'Symposium' - 7" on Detox Records from 1997. Hard to say whether the B-Side is better than the A-Side, both tunes are rather fine. This may well be because Suckle consisted of members of the mighty Vaselines .... who were gods, there is no other way to describe it, I'm afraid to say.

(293) Galactic Symposium - 'YMCA' (mp3). "You won't find a more joyous record", that's what Peel had to say about this little gem. A ramshackle version of the Village People - favourite, and - I'm sure you will agree - rather preferable to the original. An extremely rare 7" on Vague Records from 1978 and if you have never heard this before, you really should complete your little lifes by downloading it without hesitation at all. I think the way the singer can barely keep from cracking up throughout the song is simply unbelievably infectious! Too good to be missed, people ....

(294) Morphine - 'Murder For The Money' (mp3). Well, it is not easy to describe Morphine's sound to people who have never heard anything they ever did. I'll quote Wikipedia here:

"Morphine's instrumentation was quite unusual: Sandman's primary instrument was a two-string bass guitar (with both strings usually tuned to a 5th or octave interval) played with a slide; however, on the group's records he added touches of guitar, piano, electronic organ, and other self invented guitar instruments such as tritar (three stringed guitar). Colley played primarily baritone saxophone, along with soprano or tenor saxes, and the rare bass saxophone, and he sometimes played two saxes at once, a la Roland Kirk; he also played occasional percussion, and Dobro on a B-side."

'Murder For The Money' was a CD-Single, released on Rykodisc in 1997. Also look out for their second album, 'Cure For Pain' from 1993, which is an outstanding piece of music!

(295) Altered Images - 'I Could Be Happy' (mp3). A 7" picture disc on Epic from 1981, which most probably is a guarantee for heavy surface noise. But I hope this doesn't put you off, because this is one of the many tunes you don't hear all too often on the radio these days, but when you hear it, you say to yourself: "now, that was good to hear again!". Altered Images were led by the wonderful Clare Grogan, who, according to my mate J.C. aka The Vinyl Villain, once was rather rude to him when he asked her to have a dance with him. And where's Clare Grogan now (that we need her)? I have no idea ...... again!

(296) Scarfo - 'Alcaline' (mp3). A curious item this is: a 7" on Deceptive Records from 1997, it comes in a gatefold sleeve in a limited edition of 1500. But although the right side of the sleeve is manufactured as though it should contain a second record, it is - alas - empty, only the left side is filled with 'Alcaline' and 'El Topo' on the flipside. Investigating further in the wonderful world of the internet, it seems to me as if this item was only the first out of two singles, perhaps originally planned as a combined release. Either way, one out of Scarfo is now in The Kills and I once saw them playing in the Camden Palace in London in 1997 or 1998 together with my then girlfriend Natalie (well, she was accompanying me, not that she was performing together with Scarfo, that's what I'm trying to say here .... either way: "Hello Natalie", should you be reading this, which is unlikely), a very nice venue it was, and a storming gig as well!

(297) DM Bob & The Deficits - 'Bush Hog'n Man' (mp3). Hamburg's finest, as I'm sure you all agree! Deutschmark Bob have to be heard, their sound can't be described, at least not by me. More info on them here, 'Bush Hog'n Man' is the title track from their second album on Crypt Records from 1997 .... and what a masterpiece it is, to be sure!

(298) Echo & The Bunnymen - 'The Cutter' (mp3). Another oldie that feels really good to hear again after quite some time. Released as a 7" and as a 12" (with a fantastic extra tune on the B-Side, 'Zimbo'), but I'll play to you the LP version, the first track on 'Porcupine', released in 1983 on Korova Records.

(299) Pat Kelly - 'Whiter Shade Of Pale' (mp3). A very nice reggae version of the old Procul Harum - favourite, but the main appeal is that Kelly can’t make out the words accurately, so the lyrics become even more nonsensical. Check 'special virgins' instead of 'vestal virgins' or 'drove my mirror to the wall' .... priceless! It's not terribly easy to find out when exactly this was released, but I think it is from 1979 and was produced by Ossie Hibbert on the Mash-It - Label out of Jamaica. A great tune!

(300) Cornershop - 'Brimful Of Asha' (mp3). Yeah, I know that all of you can still sing along to this, but it was brandnew back in 1997 and when I first heard Peel playing it, it blew me away! More info upon this CD-single on Wiija Records: here. Cornershop homepage: here.

(301) Half Man Half Biscuit - 'See That My Bike's Kept Clean' (mp3). A wonderful version of Blind Lemon Jefferson's 'See That My Grave's Kept Clean', taken from Half Man Half Biscuit's 6th album, 'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Road'. Released, as usual, on Probe Plus Records in 1997. Here's the band's homepage.

(302) Secret Goldfish - 'Dandelion Milk Summer' (mp3). The Secret Goldfish was a band from Glasgow. The group was formed by ex-Fizzbombs singer Katy McCullars, guitarist John Morose, and the rhythm section from The Mackenzies, Graham Lironi and Paul Turnbull. 'Dandelion Milk Summer' was released as a 7" on Creeping Bent Records in 1996, you'll also find it on their debut LP, 'Aqua Pet .... You Make Me', also released in 1996.

(303) Arab Strap - 'Hey! Fever' (mp3). Their first EP, released on Chemikal Underground in 1997, was called 'The Girls Of Summer EP'. A two-track 7" and on it was the fabulous 'Hey! Fever' .... it was a good year for the Scottish altogether, but this tune really was outstanding!

Ah well. See you next week, boys and girls. Don't forget to keep your nails clean.

Dirk

My Peel Tapes - Part 27

2009-01-09T01:01:00.001+01:00

Hello my beauties!!

A very happy New Year to all of you, combined with apologies that it took me ages to post something new on Sexyloser. The truth of the matter is that I spent most of my free time around Christmas and New Year on the couch, reading cheap literature and drinking even cheaper red wine. But now I'm back with a brandnew edition of 'My Peel Tapes' featuring stuff Peel played in 1996/1997: enjoy!

(273) Billy Bragg - 'Northern Industrial Town' (mp3). From the 'William Bloke' - album on Cooking Vinyl Records, released in 1996. Well, there are only very few bands or artists of which I can claim to owe everything that they ever released. Amongst The Clash and The Ramones I could name Billy Bragg, therefore I think I'm entitled to say that this song is one his finest works ever. Of course the earlier albums - in their entirety - were better than 'William Bloke' is, but the track itself is an outstanding masterpiece! One perfect example of a song where all comes to a conclusion with the final words .... great!

(274) Heavenly - 'Nous Ne Sommes Pas Des Anges' (mp3). From the 'Operation Heavenly' - album on Wiija Records, released in 1996. A very important band they were at those days, that's for sure. All of them played together in Talulah Gosh, perhaps you'll recognise Amelia Fletcher's voice on this tune, orginally performed by France Gall. 'Operation Heavenly' was the band's fourth and final album, after it they changed their name to Marine Research, because after the suicide of drummer (and brother of Amelia) Mathew Fletcher (shortly before the release of the album) they wouldn't want to carry on under the name of Heavenly. All of their previous records were released on the fantastic Sarah Records.

(275) Bis - 'Starbright Boy' (mp3). From the 'New Transistor Heroes' - album on Wiija Records, released in 1997. This debut LP is not 'easy listening', I think it's fair to say. 12 years ago they were clearly ahead of their time, but nowadays I can't quite cope with going through the album in one go .... rather an irritating wall of sound it is sometimes, I'm afraid to say. Lobster red vinyl, limited edition of 500 only: if anyone of you is interested in having my copy, just let me know ...

(276) Revelino - 'Step On High' (mp3). A 7" on Musidisc Records from 1996. Well, there ain't pretty much I could possibly say about Revelino apart from the fact that they came from Ireland and that they released three albums in their career. None of which I have ever heard, I'm ashamed to say, therefore I don't have the slightest idea whether they are any good or not. But upon the evidence of 'Step On High', I suppose they should well be wonderful!

(277) The Delgados - 'Sucrose' (mp3). From their 'Domestiques' - album on Chemikal Underground Records, released in 1996. I don't know why, but I always keep coming back to the wonderful 'Under Canvas, Under Wraps' as being my favourite track on the album. But I've posted this one before, therefore you'll get 'Sucrose' this time. Which is a pretty fine tune as well .... albeit I think it might have been pressed slightly off centre, but I hope that this doesn't spoil your enjoyment.

(278) Ellinger Combo - 'Okie From Muscogee' (mp3). From a compilation - CD called 'Texas Bohemia II - Slow Music. The Texas Bohemian Moravian German Bands'. Released on Germany's Trikont Label from Munich in 1996, this CD brings together rather a strange collection of combos, who cover 70's jukebox hits you wouldn't identify yourself with in the first place. 'Okie From Muscogee' though, orginally done by Merle Haggard as far as I know, is a real gem. Download this 1973 version of the old anti-hippy anthem immediately if you want to do yourself a favour, folks!

(279) Belle & Sebastian - 'The Stars Of Track And Field' (mp3). From their 'If You're Feeling Sinister' - CD on Jeepster Records from 1996. Well, there ain't much to say about this record, right? I mean, everything has been said already. The band's second longplayer definetely is one of the great records of all time and it shouldn't miss in your collection. Pitchfork Media placed the album at number 14 in its top 100 albums of the 1990s. Rolling Stone magazine featured the album on its list of "Essential Recordings of the 1990s," while Spin magazine included the record at number 76 on its "100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005" list. 'If You're Feeling Sinister' also appears as an entry in the book "1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die" as chosen by music critics. Another source that analyzes critics, Acclaimed Music, has placed 'If You're Feeling Sinister' as the 5th-best album of 1996 and number 341 of all time.

(280) The Capris - 'There's A Moon Out Tonight' (mp3). Originally recorded in 1960, but taken from the 'Fabriclive.07: John Peel' - compilation-CD on Fabric Records, released in 2002. Normally these Amazon reviews are not very much reliable, but this one here says everything you need to know about this fantastic CD:

"Taking over from Grooverider, the man behind the decks for Fabriclive Vol.7 is everyone's favourite steam engine-loving sexagenarian, Mr John Peel. After his memorable set at the Fabric club in February, the veteran DJ obviously relished compiling his relentlessly eclectic first mix album. Predictably, The Fall get a look in as do the Undertones with "Teenage Kicks" but as the cult vinyl manipulator flicks from techno to blues, then R&B to reggae via folk and funk, it proves to be a rocky ride well worth the fare. Quite how it all fits in to the dance compilation category is a mystery, but in contrast to the dirge of one-dimensional titles available, Fabric 07 shines bright with a free-form bristling energy that many DJs half Mr Peel's age can only dream of. Where else would you find MC DET's feisty drum & bass fuelled "Hipsteppin" merging with the gorgeous soulful R&B harmonising of The Velvelettes "Needle in a Haystack" before the Bad Livers serve up a manic, banjo-driven, thigh-slappin' rendition of Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life"? With music culled from deep within the archives, Peel effortlessly transcends genres and decades with carefree abandon. Fabric 07 may well confound the feet but it's sure to rock the soul and warm the heart."

(281) Lotte Ohm - 'Die Liebe In Den Zeiten Des Rinderwahns' (mp3). A 12" EP on Disco Grönland Records from 1996. Again a bit of a treat, at least for me. Might mean nothing to you (English speakers), but there you are .... see how I have to suffer with all of the great records sung in English where I only understand half of what the singer sings. Improve on your German if you want to understand the lyrics, readers! The title translates as 'Love in the times of Mad Cow Disease', which should make you curious to know more, I might imagine ...

(282) The Descendents - 'I'm The One' (mp3). A 7" on Epitaph Europe in support of their 'Everything Sucks' - LP, both released in 1997. And a real corker this tune is, that's for sure!

(283) Babybird - 'Goodnight' (mp3). A 7" on the Echo Label from 1996. Not as sucessfull as the follow-up from 1997, 'You're Gorgeous', but what a fine song it is, friends .... also to be found on Babybird's debut album, 'Ugly Beautiful'. Stephen Jones decided to write fiction after Babybird split in 2000, as far as I know they briefly got together again, but what are they doing now, I have no idea ...

(284) Arab Strap - 'The First Big Weekend' (mp3). From their 'The Week Never Starts Around Here' - LP on Chemikal Underground Records from 1996. Okay, to be absolutely frank to you, this is another album which is not terribly easy to listen to in it's entirety. It's not bad, you know, but there is something missing which I can't immediately identify. 'The First Big Weekend' is a great tune though, you people in the UK might know it from a TV advertising (was it Guiness?) ....

(285) The Sid Presley Experience - 'Public Enemy Number One' (mp3). An oldie, and why not? The B-Side of their 'Hup Two Three Four' single on ID Records from 1984, although in my eyes the B-Side is the clear winner here. The single was produced by Dave Goodman, you might remember his brilliant 'Justifiable Homicide'. The Sid Presley Experience later became The Godfathers.

(286) Prolapse - 'Killing The Bland' (mp3). A CD-single on Radarscope Records from 1997. Sorry, but there is nothing much I can tell you about Prolapse, although I even two of their records. 'Killing The Bland' was on their album 'The Italian Flag',l which was released in 1997 as well, I think. The band came from Leicester ... and that's where my knowledge ends.

(287) Dreadzone - 'Earth Angel' (mp3). Again CD-single on Virgin Records, released in 1997. A nice tune, asomewhat contrary to what I normally post here on Sexyloser. Perhaps you even like it and say "Hah ... that's the fucking best tune you gave to us this week!" ... and you might be right. More on Dreadzone: here.

(288) Inter - 'Happy Ending' (mp3). An appropriate title on yet another CD-single, this time on Pet Sounds from 1997. I'm afraid this the only record I have by Inter, which is a real shame, because the tune is simply outstanding! Apparently they released quite a lot of other records before they split in 2001.

Enough for today, friends, but be relieved: there's more to come .... sooner or later. Until then, take good care, okay?

Dirk

Lady Loser's Lottery .... Pt. 3

2008-12-25T12:58:00.005+01:00

Dearest friends,

first of all - of course - a very merry Christmas to all of you: I really do hope you are feeling well and are enjoying your days off as much I as I do. I'm sitting here in my brandnew chef-style-chair, a present from Mrs. Loser ... and what a treat it is, to be sure! And here's what my dear wife picked for you today, I hope it meets with your approval:

1) [from the 12" - shelf]: Harry Morse Project - 'Laziness' (mp3). Well, this is a pick I'm not convinced by at all. But that's the way this lottery works: I'm totally out of control. A DJ-colleague of mine used to play this a lot and I quite liked it back then, so he provided me with a copy of the 12". I think I haven't listened to it again until today and I must admit I don't know what to make out of it: it isn't a bad song after all, but it won't change your life as well, I'm afraid. But: judge for yourself and download it, if you want to. On Bigwave Records from Paris, France, released in 2000, the 12" is simply titled '#2'.

2) [from the CD - shelf]: The Feelies - 'Crazy Rhythms'. There are very few albums indeed to which you can listen to for, say, 20 years or so, and when the final song is over you think to yourself: 'Oh my God, that was simply outstanding!'. A measurement of such brilliance, at least for me this is the case, is when you owe the record as well on vinyl as on CD. There are just a handful of records for which this is true in my collection, and The Feelies' debut is but one of them. A true masterpiece, and I'm willing to have a small bet that it will put a smile on my face when I listen to it again when I'm 65. Released back in 1980 on Stationary Music and this is what I chose from it: 'Loveless Love' (mp3).

3) [from the 7" - shelf]: David Bowie - 'Ashes To Ashes' (mp3). I'm old enough to know that it's always dangerous to say something against Bowie, especially when you don't want to lose all of the five female readers who visit your blog on occasion. But, frankly speaking, I still can't cope with all he did, in fact I can't cope with most of what he did in his career. I mean, 'Heroes' is one of my all-time favourites and will most probably remain so forever, also 'Ashes To Ashes' is a fine song. But if you listen to his first albums in one go, you will find out that it is a relief when you have finished and are able to put something else on instead. At least I feel this way. That doesn't necessarily mean that I wouldn't want to look as good as him, of course. And have his money .... either way: on RCA Victor from 1979.

4) [from the Compilations - shelf]: 'Martin - The Work Of Record Producer Martin Hannett'. Well, the name should ring a bell for most of you. If it doesn't, here are the (inner) sleev notes:

"This collection is a sample of the work of record producer Martin Hannett from his early work with the Buzzcocks until his death in April 1991. Martin, as producer, was the mastermind behind the sound of Joy Division, and his influential production skills were employed by many of today's major bands. In later life he produced the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, giving the latter their first hit: 'Wrote For Luck'. The final tracks on the album represent some of his more recent work before his death at the age of 41. The proceeds of this album go to his family."

On the album you'll find: World Of Twist, A Certain Ratio, Buzzcocks, Happy Mondays, High,
John Cooper Clarke, Joy Division, O.M.D., New Fast Automatic Daffodils, Slaughter & The Dogs, U2, which doesn't make it a lot easier altogether to pick something (apart from U2, of course). I'll go for John Cooper Clarke, I think, with his first (and best) release from 1977: 'Suspended Sentence' (mp3). 'Martin' was released on Factory Records in 1991.

5) [from the LP - shelf]: The Specials - 'The Specials'. Again a top choice, as with The Feelies. One of the classic debut albums of all time, full of good tunes and I never get tired of hearing it again over and over. Rather hard to chose a specific song, but I'll go for 'Stupid Marriage' (mp3) on this occasion. The Specials always were my definitive favourites when it comes to Ska ... nothing against Madness or Selecter or The Toasters, but The Specials really have stood the test of time. The album was produced by Elvis Costello and released in 1979 on Chrysalis.

Okay, enough for today: gotta run, shower and dress myself in order to be at my sister's place in time .... where I'll be served with even more to eat - and drink, I'm afraid - than yesterday. Oh, isn't Christmas fun?

See you soon,

Dirk

Special Request Edition: The Blue Orchids

2008-12-17T18:32:00.006+01:00

Dear friends,

an e-mail came in from regular correspondent Craig Keany, who asked whether it would be possible for me to do some kind of special request edition upon The Blue Orchids. It is, Craig, and I can tell you why it is: you are absolutely right in saying that The Blue Orchids were - and are, as a matter of fact - most probably one of the most grievously underrated bands of all time.

I won't bore you with too much details about them, I think all necessary information about the band can be found here. Also there is rather a good retrospective of their work, which can be found here.

Their music is hard to describe, but I have been fascinated by it ever since I first got my hands on a cassette of their album back in the very early Eighties. Only several years later I was able to find a second hand copy of said album, 'The Greatest Hit (The Money Mountain)'.

But, enough said, here's what I chose for you, Craig. And for the rest of you as well, of course:

'Work' (mp3). The A-Side of their second 7" from 1981.

'Agents Of Chance' (mp3). The title track from a 1982 4-track-EP.

'Thirst' (mp3). The B-Side of their 'Sleepy Town' - 7" from 1985. Took this from an old John Peel's Music - cassette, the sound quality might be a bit dodgy, but the track is ace!

'Hanging Man' (mp3), 'Sun Connection' (mp3), 'Low Profile' (mp3), 'Dumb Magician' (mp3).

All those four songs are taken from their aforementioned album 'The Greatest Hit (The Money Mountain)' from 1982. There isn't a single bad track on it and you may well believe me that I had a hard time in chosing only a few songs.

'The Flood' (mp3). A-Side of their very first single from 1980.

'The House That Faded Out' (mp3). The B-Side of the 'Work' - single, although this version here is taken from their first (out of two) Peel Session from 08.12.80.

'Heroes' (mp3). Okay, this is a bit of a bonus. The Blue Orchids worked as Nico's backing band from 1983 onwards and therefore you get this one as well. From 1983, on Aura Records. All of the others above were released on Rough Trade Records, by the way.

I hope you enjoyed what I chose for you, Craig. Let me know if you were pleased, okay?

See you soon,

Dirk

My Peel Tapes - Part 26

2008-12-13T07:49:00.003+01:00

Good morning my beauties,

yes, believe it or not, another episode of 'My Peel Tapes' for you! I know, quite a while ago since the last one. I must admit, I couldn't convince myself to do it earlier, because all in all it became rather a bore somehow. Also I was so very much fond of this 'Lady Loser's Lottery' - thingy ... I'd rather had done another of those instead of 'My Peel Tapes'. But the show must go on, so here we go ... I hope you enjoy what Uncle John played to me back then, 'cos that's exactly what I'll play to you today:

(258) Elastica - 'Waking Up (mp3). Again from their first, self-titled album on Geffen, released in 1995, also released as a single in the same year. Interestingly enough The Stranglers apparently blamed (sued?) the band for the fact that 'Waking Up' sounds pretty much like their 'No More Heroes' from 1977 .... I can't see that much of a similarity. Can you?

(259) The Silver Jews - 'Trains Across The Sea' (mp3). The Silver Jews were, amongst others, David Berman and Stephen Malkmus. Yes, that Stephen Malkmus out of Pavement. 'Trains Across The Sea' is my favourite song on their debut album 'Starlite Walker', released in 1994 on Drag City Records in the States and on Domino in Europe. The tune really grows on you, people, so you'd better download it and listen to it very closely. Silver Jews' homepage: here. 'Half hours on earth, what are they worth?', he asks in the song ... and doesn't hesitate to leave the question unanswered ....

(260) Northern Picture Library - 'Last September's Farewell Kiss' (mp3).
"Battery Point" was a very fine 1995 compilation on Sarah Records and it featured Aberdeen, Action Painting, Blueboy, Boyracer, Hit Parade, Ivy, Northern Picture Library, Secret Shine,
Shelley and Sugargliders. Peel played the Nothern Picture Library - track .... and so shall I. A most fragile track, so please

(261) Jerry Lee Lewis - 'How's My Ex Treating You' (live at Panther Hall, Fort Worth) (mp3). Alas this live recording from 1966 comes in rather dodgy quality, but I thought I'd play it to you nevertheless, because it is a neat song, that's for sure. More on Jerry Lee Lewis, one of the great performers of that era, here.

(262) The Flys - 'Love And A Molotov Cocktail' (mp3). A 1978 7" on EMI of all labels, odd really. A killer tune from yesteryear, if you don't know it yet: have a listen, folks ... it really is one of the great records of the punk or pre-punk era ....

(263) The Wedding Present - 'Go Man Go' (mp3). Once one of my all-time favourite combos, I'm not entirely convinced by all of what The Wedding Present are doing these days. This though still was fine stuff, from their 'Mini' - 10" on Cooking Vinyl from 1996. I think I should listen to the whole record again after having brought the track from vinyl to mp3 later on ....

(264) Pulp - 'Mile End' (mp3). Taken from the soundtrack of the film 'Trainspotting', released on Premier Records in 1996, a double LP, in fact. Not all on it is as good as Pulp's contribution, it must be said. The film, however, is a masterpiece, of course ....

(265) Calvin Party - 'Life And Other Sex Tragedies' (mp3). I know I've posted this before, but that's no excuse not to do that again: this is a FANTASTIC song, friends, definetely one of my choices for the Desert Island. It starts rather quietely, but then explodes and becomes to something which I would describe as one of the finest moments in the history of recorded music to date. The singer's accent is great, the lyrics are simply awesome ... this song is a MUST!!! From their 1995 album 'Lies, Lies And Government' on Probe Plus Records from Liverpool. Really, I can't recommend this enough ... if you don't do yourself a favour and have a listen to it, it's your own fault!

(266) The Congos - 'Children Crying' (mp3). From one of the classic roots reggae releases from Jamaica from the late 70's, along with Culture's 'Two Sevens Clash' perhaps: the album 'Heart Of The Congos' from 1977. I have a very nice German re-release with gatefold sleeve from 1996 on Blood And Fire Records ... wish I had a copy of the original Jamaican pressing though. Find an interview with Watty Burnett, who, amongst others, did the backing vocals on the album, here.

(267) Sleater-Kinney - 'I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone' (mp3). Heroes of the 'Riot Grrrl' - scene Sleater-Kinney hail from Olympia, Washington, later moved to Portland, Oregon and here's their website. 'Joey Ramone' comes from their second album, 'Call The Doctor' on Chainsaw Records from 1996.

(268) Helen Love - 'Girl About Town' (mp3). Again featured previously (at least I think this is the case), again one of the finest records on earth. Originally released as a B-Side (of the 'We Love You' - 7") in 1995 on Damaged Goods. The single is long deleted, but perhaps you are lucky and find a copy of their great 'Radio Hits Vol. 2' - compilation, also on Damaged Goods from 1997. Great website of one of the finest bands ever to come from Wales here. I'll dedicate this to my pal FiL from Pogo A Go-Go, I know he likes the tune a lot and so does his son.

(269) Chixdiggit - 'I Drove The Coquihalla' (mp3). From Alberta in Canada, from their self-titled LP on Sub Pop Records from 1996, which is full of good and gnarly power-punk/pop stuff. More information on Chixdiggit: here.

(270) Bennet - 'Someone Always Gets There First' (mp3). Despite the fact that this 7" was released on All The Blacks Records back in 1997, it's on nice red vinyl. And very good it is, too. I'm ashamed to say I don't have the slightest idea what ever became of Bennet, but they were really really good back then. I had expected them to become much more popular .... but I was wrong, as usual.

(271) Half Man Half Biscuit - 'Eno Collaboration' (mp3). The toast of Birkenhead with a 7" on Probe Plus Records from 1996. As always with fantastic lyrics, 'I went from the Andies to the Indies in my undies' is especially good, I think. Have a look at a very fine Half Man Half Biscuit - fansite here.

(272) Rudi - 'Big Time' (mp3). Again a total pop-punk classic from Belfast's Rudi. From 1978 on Good Vibrations Records (who also released the original 'Teenage Kicks' - 7" by The Undertones). More on Rudi here.

Well, as always I really hope you enjoyed my choices for today. Kindly drop a little comment and let me know whether this was the case. Or not.

I hope to have another episode ready before the New Year comes. There will definetely be another 'Lady Loser's Lottery' one, so watch out for it ....

Take care and stay healthy, friends!

Dirk

Lady Loser's Lottery .... Pt. 2

2008-12-06T17:10:00.008+01:00

Hello nice people,

well, after all of those nice little responses to the first part of Lady Loser's Lottery, I thought why not do a second part, so here you are. Took me quite some time to achieve this, but I have been rather ill lately and this more or less the first time in two weeks for me in front of the computer. Either way, I'm back to mid-season form and I hope you enjoy what Mrs. Loser picked for you:

1) [from the CD - shelf] New Order's 'Waiting For The Sirens' Call' album from 2005 on London Records. Oh boy, I must admit, I haven't listened to this since ..... 2005. And I don't have the slightest idea what might possibly be the best track to play to you here. So let's do it the DJ-without-a-clue-way and play Track A ... always a safe choice, I found out in my career. Here's 'Who's Joe' (mp3).

2) [from the 7" - shelf] The Jesus and Mary Chain - 'Upside Down'. Well, I think I'll play you the B-Side here, 'Vegetable Man' (mp3), because I might think you don't hear it all that often .... and it's a rather neat cover of an old Pink Floyd song. The 7" was released on Creation Records back in 1982 .... as long ago as that? That can't be right, c'mon ... but that's what it reads on the label (Creation 012).

Strange, I just had a look at the internet to find out and everywhere it reads 1985, but curiously I can't find a picture of the sleeve which I have (blueish, with a guitar). The other releases seem to have been gatefold sleeves in different colours .... if there are any Jesus & Mary Chain - enthusiasts reading this here: please let me know, okay? Thank you ...

3) [from the Compilations - shelf] 'Doing It For The Kids', Creation Records, 1988. This is a great record with a whole bunch of adorable tunes on it, people: Weather Prophets, Biff Bang Pow, Emily, Heidi Berry, Felt, House Of Love, Jasmine Minks, Momus, Jazz Butcher, My Bloody Valentine, Nikki Sudden, Pacific, Primal Scream, Razorcuts, Times ... what more could you possibly ask for back in those days. And only because I featured the Jazz Butcher track ('Lot 49') before (in the 'Some Of The Best There Ever Has Been - 1988' - post), I'll choose Felt's 'Ballad Of The Band' (mp3) .... not because it's worse than 'Lot 49', I just love 'Lot 49' to no degree .... don't know why though ....

4) [from the 12" - shelf] Something German for a change for you now .... but I told you in my introduction to the first part that Mrs. Loser chooses the records with closed eyes, so it can't always be chocolate, you see. Fettes Brot - 'Jein' (mp3). Fettes Brot were (and are, actually) one of the first German bands who achieved success despite singing in German back in those days when including a bit of rap and spoken bits was a thing what only English - speaking bands would allow themselves to try. They come from Northern Germany and the members were (and, as far as I know, still are) Dr. Renz, König Boris and Schiffmeister. 'Jein' is about him not being able to decide how to approach the girl ..... yes, this old story. On Yo Mama Records from 1996 ... and it felt really good to hear this one again: thank's honey!

5) [from the LP - shelf] Joy Division's 'Closer'. Labelled incorrectly by Base Records in Italy with Side Two on both sides of the record ... probably I'm a millionaire and don't know about it? Well, of course there is one stand-out track on it and that is, of course, 'Isolation' (mp3). The band's second album, released in the July of 1980, two months after Ian Curtis' death. Would be intersting to know what YOU think: was it meant to mean 'Closer' as in 'shorten a distance' or 'Closer' as in 'finale'? Answers in the comment section, please .....

That's it, folks. Would mean a lot to me if some of you would let me know what you thought of Mrs. Loser's choices .... until then:

Cheerio,

Dirk

Lady Loser's Lottery .... Pt. 1

2008-11-22T16:19:00.004+01:00

Dearest friends, fans and followers,

I've been contemplating for quite some time in the recent weeks what sort of series I could start on Sexyloser in addition to 'My Peel Tapes' and 'Some Of The Best There Ever Has Been'. I mean, it's fun to to both of 'em, don't get me wrong, but I thought I needed some challenge, something else rather than me wandering to the record collection, picking stuff that I like and then present it here.

So I thought, well, why not let somebody else do this for me? And - as you might imagine - my dear wife, Mrs. Loser, is now handling things for this series. All in all it's rather easy to explain: My record collection is seperated in five different shelves: 1. CD's 2. 7"-singles 3. 12" singles 4. LP's 5. Compilations. All of them are in - more or less - alphabetical order and contrary to me, Mrs. Loser hasn't got a clue what might be inside when she picks a sleeve with halfway closed eyes: it might turn out to be the best thing since sliced bread, then again it could well be a sin from my past. Nevertheless I swear not to cheat here, I'll play to you exactly what she picked from the different shelves ..... and I only hope it won't be too much crap.

Okay, here we go ... this is what she came back with:

1. The Detroit Cobras - 'Life, Love And Leaving'. A fantastic CD on Rough Trade Records from 2001. This really is a belter, folks, and I strongly recommend that you should get your hands on it, perhaps you have a look here. It really is not easy at all to pick a song from it, because they are all good. 99% of the songs The Detroit Cobras do are cover versions, but they always do them in rather a raunchy way .... which my choice will show you: Otis Redding's 'Shout Bama Lama' (mp3) is perhaps my favourite on the CD and it's worth downloading, so please do so!

2. Speeder - 'Hey What Do I Know' (mp3). This was taken from the 7" - shelf. On Creeping Bent Records from Glasgow, from 1999, and Mrs. Loser's pick could have been worse, I would like to think. Alas I know nothing at all to say about Speeder, a shame really, because the track is rather brilliant and with a good guitar fuzz in the middle. No photo of the band seems to be available in the web either.

3. From the 12" shelf, here come The Prefects and their 1979 Peel Session on Strange Fruit Records, released in 1987. Led by Robert Lloyd, later with The Nightingales, The Prefects never struck a chord with me really, I must admit and I'm having a hard time in choosing a tune to play out of the four ones on the 12". Then again this exactly might be the challenge in this series. Also it means that I listen to stuff I would most probably not have listed to again for ages. I came up with this here, 'Barbarellas' (mp3).

4. The LP Mrs. Loser chose I haven't listened to for a long time indeed. And what a shame that is, too. It's a total classic, of course, the second album from New Order, 'Power, Corruption And Lies' on Factory Records from 1983, May of that year, in fact. But because it's such a classic, it's not easy to pick a song from it. Perhaps I like 'Age Of Consent' (mp3) best. But also all of the rest is awesome, kids. So get a copy of it.

5. The compilations. From 'History Of Ska Vol. 2 - The Golden Years '66 - '69' on Studio One Records from Jamaica. I picked this in the backroom of a tiny record shop in Kingston, Jamaica when I was there for the first time. If only I would have been brave enough to have more money with me when I was there, I would have brought even more of these gems back home with me. But I was warned that tourists in Kingston get shot for a few US Dollars in certain areas, so I was rather short of money when record shopping there. But I won't complain, I found some very nice records there and this is but one of them. From it, here's Prince Buster and 'Time Longer Than Rope' (mp3). The photo above shows the sleeve of Vol. 1, I couldn't find a picture of Vol. 2 anywhere, sorry.

Well, that's it for today, folks. Thanks for your attention and of course a big 'thank you' to Mrs. Loser as well: good job, honey!

Cheers and any comments would of course highly be appreciated!

Dirk

Some Of The Best There Ever Has Been: '1979' (for a Tart)

2008-11-21T08:07:00.010+01:00

Dearest friends,

first of all: sorry! Sorry that it took me so long to post something new here, but first I have been really busy and in addition to that I didn't feel pretty well recently .... something with my stomach (won't go into detail, but believe me: I was perfectly happy to lay in bed instead sitting in front of the computer).

The only person in the whole wide world who wrote (now that's an alliteration if there ever was one!! ha ha!!) in to ask if I am still alive was dearest Tart from the fantastic 'I Correct Myself, I Mean All The Time' - blog .... and I strongly recommend that you should have a look at what she has to say every bloody day of your little lives! In order to thank her for this, I asked her to choose a year for this series, and she came up with '1979', so there you are: Tart, this is dedicated to you, darling .... and I do hope you enjoy the tunes I chose for you.

Okay ... rock 'n' roll:

The Cramps - 'Human Fly' (mp3)

Blondie - 'Living In The Real World' (mp3)

The Dead Kennedys - 'Kill The Poor' (live at the Deaf Club '79) (mp3)

Elvis Costello - 'Oliver's Army' (mp3)

The Glass Torpedoes - 'Morning, Noon And Night' (mp3)

Joe Jackson - 'Is She Really Going Out With Him?' (mp3)

Joy Division - 'Disorder' (mp3)

The Pretenders - 'Precious' (mp3)

The Wipers - 'Mystery' (mp3)

The Go-Betweens - 'People Say' (mp3)

The Leyton Buzzards - 'Saturday Night Beneath The Plastic Palm Trees' (mp3)

The Quads - 'There Must Be Thousands' (mp3)

The Slickee Boys - 'Gotta Tell Me Why' (mp3)

The Specials - 'Stupid Marriage' (mp3)

The Undertones - 'Here Comes The Summer' (Peel Session Version) (mp3)

Okay, dearest Tart: I have to stop it here. 1979 was such a fantastic year for music, exactly as you said to me, I could go on forever and forever with my choices. I do hope you liked what I found for you .... and for the rest of you as well, of course!

Have fun,

Dirk

My Peel Tapes - Part 25

2008-10-28T01:40:00.002+01:00

Dearest friends,

I thought I'd better quickly shove in another edition of 'My Peel Tapes' before Feargal Sharkey decides to close Sexyloser down forever, so here we go:

(245) The Eggs - 'The Government Administrator' (mp3). The third release - from 1993 - on Hemiola Records from Leeds featured a combo from Arlington, Virginia: The Eggs. Despite of their stupid name the record itself was just marvellous. It must have struck a chord in Britain at least for a few people, because it reached # 10 in Peel's Festive 50 of that year. Doesn't make them worldwide superstars, but who gives a damn, right? And, more important even, The Eggs sent me the 7" for free, because I wrote a creepy letter to them complaining that I wasn't able to track down a copy here in Germany. In return I sent back a bottle of local liquor, real hardcore stuff, and to my great surprise the band thought it wasn't bad at all, at least so they wrote back to me. A few weeks ago I landed on a website done by The Eggs' former singer and believe it or not: he still remembered having enjoyed that bottle very well .... some 15 years later!

(246) Madder Rose - 'Madder Rose' (mp3). Their first and their best, as it so often is the case. From a 1993 compilation called 'Unnecessary Niceness - American Imports from the 7" Singles Bins of the Rough Trade Record Shop', which featured Allen Clapp, Big Louise, Helium, Lois, Lorelei, Spinanes, Swirlies, Twiggy and of course Madder Rose .... on Beechwood Music from the UK. The Madder Rose - tune comes from 1992, in fact.

(247) Sonic Youth - 'Personality Crisis' (mp3). From the 'Sugar Kane' - single (on Geffen, 1992), which was issued in various formats - well, with various tracks on it - back in 1992. The song was originally done by The New York Dolls, as you might know. Should you not know it, try to get hold of it, it is a real killer! Also on the single was this:

(248) Sonic Youth - 'Is It My Body' (mp3). Some kind of .... hmmh ... well .... sexy, there is no better way to describe it. Judge yourself, but as far as I'm concerned, the thought alone of Kim Gordon moaning with lust makes this tune somewhat special for me. Yeah ..... I know: I'm rather easily aroused in my age ..... oh boy!

(249) Curve - 'Missing Link' (mp3). Phew .... rather noisier than I expected it to be .... I thought it was a bit more tranquil. Good stuff nevertheless and again from one of those Indie Top 20 double albums. Recorded in 1993 and mainly featured here because Toni Halliday is such a goddess! [As you can probably tell, I still couldn't calm down from the Sonic Youth track preceeding this one here .... sorry ....].

(250) The Rulers - 'Copasetic' (mp3). Released in 1966 on The Sir JJ Label. I got hold of some fantastic albums in Kingston when I went to Jamaica for the first time, but alas couldn't track down any 7" singles. So I had to take this one from the 'Club Ska '67' - compilation, issued in 1980 on Mango/Island. The sound quality is rather poor, but to my best knowledge this is not the compilation's fault. I've never heard a (soundwise) better version of this track anywhere.

(251) The Harvest Ministers - 'If It Kills Me And It Will' (mp3). On Sarah Records, Sarah 84 in fact. Issued in 1993 as a 7" and just one out of a million absolutely adorable releases on the label. They really had all of the good bands back then and I always thought they were as influental as Factory were 10 years before. The Harvest Ministers' site is here.

(252) The Undertones - 'My Perfect Cousin' (mp3). On 'Hypnotised', the band's second album from 1980. Good throughout and highly recommended. If you have a look at the post preceeding this one, you might not want to cope with this choice, but I think regardless what one might think about Feargal Sharkey these days, it should not be forgotten that The Undertones were not just Feargal. The other members might perhaps even be pleased to see this tune posted here, who knows?

(253) The Shanes - 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' (mp3). A 7", most probably from 1993. Peel doesn't give a lot of information as well, and moreover I can't find much on the internet about the track. So just enjoy this version and let me know what you think ..... okay?

(254) Pulp - 'O.U. (Gone, Gone)' (mp3). A 12" on Gift Recordings from 1992 and my favourite Pulp tune. There you are. Better even than 'Common People'. I quickly have to move on to the next track, otherwise I'll change my mind again .....

(255) Elastica - 'Line Up' (mp3). Originally done in 1992, the version was later issued as a 7". This here is the LP version though, the album was released on Geffen in 1995. A great debut which surely has stood the test of time, at least it did for me. Luckily I have a rare first issue, which included the so-called 'Elasticatalogue', a little leaflet with photos from Donna Matthews in it (yes, another goddess!). A much-treasured item here in Sexyloserland, as you might imagine!

(256) The Rezillos - 'Flying Saucer Attack' (mp3) / 'No' (mp3). Well, I intended to post only 'Flying Saucer Attack', but 'No' is tucked so close behind it on the album ('Can't Stand The Rezillos', Sire, 1978), that I decided to let the needle run and download the two tracks for your pleasure. In fact I listened to the whole LP again after this and I must say it is an absolute masterpiece!! Do yourself a favour and get hold of a copy somewhere, this album really shouldn't miss in any halfway decent record collection!

(257) Billy Bragg - 'The Milkman Of Human Kindness' (mp3). 'Life's A Riot With Spy Vs. Spy' was Billy's first release on the Utility Label in 1983 and from it this tune is taken. One of his quieter songs but don't let that hinder you from listening to it. Billy's site is here.

Well, folks, I do sincerely hope you enjoyed this week's selection: quite a fair number of older tracks for you, but as mentioned before: I just post here chronologically what Peel played back then on BFBS.

Have fun,

Dirk

Dear Feargal Sharkey,

2008-10-27T12:52:00.006+01:00

I was suprised to learn from my mate J.C. that you have become rather successful lately. Quite a long way from singing in a grievously underrated band to becoming a Chief Executive for British Music Rights, isn't it? Well, it must have been a long way, Feargal, because apparently you seem to have forgotten some things. Important things, my old friend. I came to this impression because of the statements you made in this article.

Feargal, have you ever thought about why it is that you now have the successful job you currently have? Have you ever thought about who it was that made you so important? No? Well, I'll tell you, Feargal: it was us. Yes, us, the people who spent their hard-earned money for your records. The people who followed you around and paid to see your gigs. Some of them still exist nowadays, believe it or not. Those people are called fans, Feargal. Sometimes I think this is an expression which isn't used very often in your nice little BMR - office these days, right? Fans. Hmmmh. Sounds strange these days, I admit. But, the thing is, Feargal, fans - in the true sense of the word - are not criminals. Nor have they ever been. They are just little people who like what someone else has done or is doing. And they want to share their joy and excitement with other people.

Come on Feargal: you're not that old, are you? Do you really have forgotten what you did back in the mid 70's when you were short of money and your mate had the latest single, by, let's say, The Faces? I bet he taped it for you, didn't he, so that you could listen to it at home over and over again: "Pool Hall Richard, You're Far Too Wicked, We Know ...". Boy, that was fun, wasn't it, Feargal? I bet you sang along with it in your room like nobody's business, didn't you?

Your mate taped it for you for free, Feargal, so I assume. Or did you pay him for it? No, I bet you didn't. Now, would you describe your mate - and yourself, mind you - as having been criminals back then? Did you even give a toss about the fact that you stole Rod Stewart's money? Be frank to me, Feargal: you didn't, no way. Rod is a multi-millionaire by now, even though you and your mate stole his money. Deliberately.

You see, today the tape decks have gone. Out of fashion. Replaced by computers, Feargal. But the attitude has remained. Still some fans want to share stuff they really appreciate with other people. People who might not have the chance to listen to it that easily. And please don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about the real pirates. Those are criminals, I admit. I'm talking about fans. Fans who post a little something and in doing so they encourage other fans to go and buy other stuff from the artist. As easy as that, Feargal. Fans have a blog which is read by some thirty other fans per day, if at all. Pirates steal music on a commercial basis. Don't mix this up, Feargal, please!

If you want to save artists' rights, kindly attack the pirates and their battleships. Don't bomb the fans' rubber boats, my friend. I understand this is the easier thing to do, but that doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. So please leave us fans alone, okay? Ed, Steve and Coxon are not your enemies, Feargal, they're just fans. Not more, not less.

Think about this if you have a minute, Feargal. That's all I would ask for, mate.

All the best, your old fan,

Dirk

PS: and to show the young fans - who probably can't afford to pay some 50 quid for this single (or whatever it's worth on ebay these days) - that you made some fantastic records some years ago (and therefore can't be such a bad chap after all), here's your 1978 debut on Good Vibrations Records:

1) Teenage Kicks (mp3)

2) Smarter Than You (mp3)

3) True Confessions (mp3)

4) Emergency Cases (mp3)

I'll await your kind response to this, Feargal. In one form or another ...

Dirk

Some Of The Best There Ever Has Been: '1996'

2008-10-22T10:11:00.005+02:00

Hello party people,

rrrrright, time for another edition of 'Some Of the Best There Ever Has Been'. This time we'll have a look at 1996, not a fantasticly spectacular year for music all in all, I would think. But there have been a few good tunes nevertheless, and here are the ones that I liked most. Still love to listen to them today, in fact:

Armstrong - 'You Deserve To Succeed' (mp3)

Melys - 'Puppet' (mp3)

Revelino - 'Step On High' (mp3)

Belle And Sebastian - 'The Stars Of Track And Field' (mp3)

Billy Bragg - 'Northern Industrial Town' (mp3)

Babybird - 'Goodnight' (mp3)

Jay-Jay Johanson - 'So Tell The Girls That I Am Back In Town' (mp3)

Rather a tranquil selection, you could well argue, and of course you would be entirely right. Don't know why this is, perhaps I finally got fed up with listening to Grunge and Grunge-related stuff back in 1996. Then again it was a brilliant year for Scottish and especially Welsh music and this kind of stuff never tended to be hardcore.

Either way, I like the tracks above to no degree. I hope you do too.

Just let me know if this is the case, okay: leave comments to cheer me up ...

See you,

Dirk