The Harder They Come ....

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 ....

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.

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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