Just another site that's giving you hard to find music

A Place To Find Some Rarer Tunes (Mod, PowerPop, Punk, Ska) ripped from my vinyl collection. If it sounds good I'll post it. The idea being that now you know about them, you can seek them out! If anyone is unhappy about any of these posts please contact me & I will take them off.

Sunday 2 December 2018

The Singles - Fools Gold (1980)


 b/w (No Go Down To) Babylon

Here we have 2 sides of Female Vocal New Wave with hints of PopRock/Reggae on the Rook Records label. 

Rook Records appears to have been the house name for the Rook Recording Studios in Stourport On Severn which leads me to beleive that the band were from the Worcestershire area.

Unfortunately apart from both sides being Penned by Scott I can tell you nothing else

Anyone that can shed some light please leave a comment.


Sounds & Scans

Sunday 4 November 2018

Time Wasters - Kool Love (1979)



b/w - You Came Home

Great Mod / Powerpop from this Staffordshire area 4 peice [1978-82]


Tim Pye (Voc, Guitar)
Mark "Benny" Bates (Guitar Voc)
Jon Pye (Bass Voc)
Fred Skidmore (Drums)

There is a long convoluted history to this band which I'll try to make short.

In 1974 Greg Holt became Music Tutor at Sandwell's Residential Arts Centre, Ingestre Hall. The Centre, near Stafford was the former ancestral home of the Earl of Shrewsbury. Pupils from schools throughout Sandwell spent five days on creative workshops in Music, Art or Drama. This is where Greg recruited the members of the Time Wasters, the main purpose being to encourage their musical development collectively and as individuals. They mostly did not know each other before joining the group.

In 1977, Greg made a Folkie Supergroup by recruiting the best students [9 in total] to record an LP
Time Wasters [Personal Records STICKY 1] 1978 Smile/Won't Find Another/Maybe Next Time/Won't Get To Heaven/Balloons/The Same Again//Not Fit For Your Love/The Cost You Have Paid/Keep Me Hanging On/Last Words/Seventh Wave/Change My Mind
The Band were:Tim Pye (Vocals, Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar), Dave Beale (Vocals, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar), Chris Stevens (Vocals, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Harmonica), Pete Ralley (Bass Guitar), Fred Skidmore (Drums, Electric Piano), Pauline Taylor (Vocals, Percussion), Ken Barnsley (Double Bass), Phil Jones (Alto Saxophone), Chris Burton (Flute) + Greg Holt (Vocals, Drums, Congas, Synthesizer)

Over the years the pool of musicians continued to change, with some who had missed the LP sessions returning and several new people being added. There were different performing combinations according to the occasion. Two of those who were on the 1st LP (Tim Pye & Fred Skidmore) and two who had missed the sessions (Jon Pye and Benny Bates) went professional with the name & scored a recording deal with Ariola.
Even after this incarnation more recordings were made under the name at Ingestre Hall until Greg left at the end of 1983 (going to Aston University Arts Centre) and from then on, to this day, multiple home-made albums have been made by several former Time Wasters.

Discography [all Germany only releases]
7" Kool Love/You Came Home [Ariola 101 127 100] 1979
7" Bad Girls/Judgement Chair [Ariola 103 026 100] 1981
LP On The Street [Ariola 203 544-320] 1981
Rita (What's In A Name)/Bad Girls/Judgement Chair/It Can't Be Love/Ask Me//
On The Street/Loose/Best Friends/Cupid Girls/My World/Linda Don't Go

Useless Info 1 - Greg coined the band name as a joke based on newspaper ads of the day for musicians to join bands, that would sometimes end with "No Time Wasters"! So Greg called them "Time Wasters Only" with the generic name for any of the musicians in the group beconing “Time Wasters”
Useless info 2 - when this incarnation of this band folded (1982) some of them became Alvin Stardust's backing/touring band. Tim writing at least 1 song for him "In The Morning"
Useless Info 3 - On The Street [The Title track from the 1981 LP is comped on Powerpearls 5]

If anyone can send me MP3's Of the LP On The Street - I'll add it to the link

Sound & Scans

Saturday 13 October 2018

Room 101 - One By One (1983)


b/w Life Is So Easy [Dance Mix]

Good mix of New Wave & Synth-pop from this Dewsbury, West Yorkshire duo

Mae Fortune (Voc, Keyboards, Synthesiser)
Danny Senninger (Keyboards, Guitar, Bass, Voc)

With help from
David O'Higgins (Sax)

Even though this and their second indie label 45 were unsuccessful it was thanks to John Peel playing One By One numerous times on his show & asking them in to record a Session [101 / I've Got Your Number / Rivers / I'm Not Your Kind - 21-09-83]. that "One by One" was picked up by a major? re-recorded & given a second life in May 1985.

Discography

1983 7" One By One/Life Is So Easy (Dance-Mix) - Norwood Records NRW S101
1984 7" Tokyo Nights/I'm Not Your Kind - Nowood Records NRW ERL S102
1985 7" One By One/Tokyo Nights - Red Bus Records RBUS 2200
1985 12"One By One//Tokyo Nights/I'm Not Your Kind - Red Bus Records RBUSL 2200

Danny Senninger
Mae Fortune


Useless Info - Billy Bragg gave the 45 a Review of "Unexpectedly Poppy With A Neat Hook - Good One"


Sounds & Scans

Saturday 8 September 2018

Twice Shy - Do You Wanna Dance (1980)



b/w - White Boy

Interesting A side but it's the flip that works for me

I can't tell you much about the band except the tracks were penned by M.Burke & J.Davison & the 45 was probably Recorded at the now defunct Rock City Studios [which was located in Shepperton Studio Centre, Surrey, UK]


It was released on the Stan Blackman owned Monarch Records (1979-83) which had a few other interesting 7" releases.

These include
Street BizarreNormal Life/Nervous Exhaustion MON 05 [1979]      
Darryl Read – Living On Borrowed Time/West End Girl MON 16 [1980]   
The Introze Doin' The Lambeth Walk/Kids In Uniform MON 037 [1982]           
Flamingo ExpressHoneymoon In Spain/Eighteen Wheels MON 044 [1983]

Sounds & Scans

Sunday 5 August 2018

The Banditz - J.C.B. (1980)



b/w - Damage Your Health

Great keyboard driven New Wave tunes (500 pressed) from these English born but South West Cork based boys [1979-80]

John Williamson AKA John Wallace (Guitar Voc) Ex Bandits
John Pike AKA Patrick Pike (Bass) Ex The Rats
Graham Kin AKA Harry Kin (Keys Voc) Ex Bandits
Howard Palmer AKA Albert Drummer (Drums) Ex The Rats

After 18 months John Pike Left So Howard Palmer switched to Bass & they recruited a new Drummer Wayne Sheehy Ex Bantry Band Exodus - This line-up also recorded a 45 for Phaeton Records but it was shelved due to the bands lack of progress.

L-R John P, Graham K,John W, Howard P


For An Extended Bio Pop over to IrishRock.Org where this info was purloined.
Useless Info - JCB appears on Shake Some Action Vol.3



Sounds & Scans 

Sunday 8 July 2018

Eryr Wen - Dyffryn Tywi EP (1982)



A       Dyffryn Tywi    
B1     Rocyrs Owain Glyndwr    
B2     City Boi Sam

Cool Powerpop from this Welsh [Carmarthen] band [Eryr Wen means White Eagle in English)





Nigel Williams (Voc)
Geraint Evans (Guitar)
Rhys Mansel Jones (Rhythm Guitar)
Aled Sion (Bass, Voc)
Gareth Lewis & Richard Morris (Shared the Drum Stool)
Ioan "Yogi" Hefin (Trumpet, Voc)

Other members Past & Future include:
Rhys Powys (Drums) / Andrew ? (Drums) / Dewi Rhisiart (Guitar) / Mark Wenden (Drums) / Einion Dafydd (Saxophone) / Euros Jones (Voc) / Llion Jones (Voc, Guitar)

Discography

1982    Efo Mi on VA - Untitled 7" EP - Fflach Records (RF AS 004)
1982    Dyffryn Tywi 7" EP - Fflach Records (RF AS 008)
1983    Siop Dillad Bala / Bywyd Annabela 7" - Recordiau Calimero (RC 001)
1984     Hwre / Llais Cilmeri 7" - Recordiau Calimero (RC 002)
1985    Cenhedlaeth Goll / Marinas 7" - Recordiau Calimero (RC 003)
1987    Manamanamwnci LP - Sain (SAIN 1401M)    [Dai i Gerdded / Gloria, Tyrd Adre'/ Ceridewen / Cleisiau'r Clown / Y Cynghorwyr //  Y Felin /  Heno, Heno / Yr Alcoholic Lion / Marathon / Y Bridodas]



Useless info - In 1987 Eryr Wen won S4C's prestigious singing competition Cân i Gymru (A Song for Wales) with Gloria Tyrd Adre


Sounds, Scans & Other bits

Saturday 9 June 2018

Beethoven - My Demise (1980)


b/w Foolish Pride

First of 2 solo 45's for London based Peter "Beethoven" Vas

After an unsuccessful audition as a second guitarist for the Sex Pistols (he had replied to an advert in the 27th September 1975 issue of Melody Maker) Pete joined Gloria Mundi. He played on their 1st 2 releases but was asked to leave the group before the release of their "Glory Of The World" 7" (Oct 1978).
In late '79 he secured a solo deal with RCA and released 2 45's, Again success was not forthcoming.
In 1981 after a meeting at the Crown & Sceptre Pub, London W1 he teamed up with Alasdair Murray to become the short lived Bete Noire [Pete (Guitar, Bass, Drums), Al (Voc)]

Discography
7" (Gloria Mundi) Fight Back / Do It - RCA PB-5068 (02/02/1978)
LP (Gloria Mundi) I-Individual LP - RCA Victor PL-25157 (07/07/1978)
[The Pack / Condemned To Be Free / Daughters Of Rich Men / I Like Some Men // I-Individual / You Talk / Park Lane / Split Personality / Victim]
7" (Beethoven) My Demise / Foolish Pride - RCA PB-5223 (15/02/1980)
7" (Peter Beethoven) You're The One / Holywood Kisses - RCA PB-5250 (23/05/1980)
7" (Bete Noire) Langham Street EP (1981 Unreleased)
[Diamonds / Spanish Girl / Only one / Disco Posing]


Other Info - 1987-1990 Pete was in the Pete Vas Group with Terry Horbury (Bass), Graham Eade (Drums) & Tony Korycki (Keys)

If you've any more info on Pete please get in contact.

Sounds, Scans & Other bits

Wednesday 16 May 2018

Agnes Strange - Can't Make My Mind Up (1977)



b/w - Johnny B Good

Nice blend of Glam/Hard Fuzz, Proto Punk Sounds from this Hard Rock/Blues Southampton based Trio (1972-78).

John Westwood (Guitar, Voc)
Alan Green (Bass)
Dave Rodwell (Drums)


Discography

LP Strange Flavour  
[Give Yourself A Chance / Strange Flavour / Alberta /Loved One / Failure // Children Of The Absurd / Odd Man Out / Highway Blues / Granny Don't Like Rock 'n' Roll / Interference] - BirdsNest BRL 9000 (1975)
7" Give Yourself A Chance / Clever Fool - BirdsNest BN-1 (1975)  
7" Can't Make My Mind Up / Johnny B Good - Baal BDN 38048 (1977)
CD Theme For A Dream "Unreleased Masters & Original Demos [1972-1974]" 
[Theme For A Dream / Messin' Around / Graveyard  / Rockin 'In' E / Dust In The Sunlight / The Day Dreamer / Book With No Cover / Failure (Demo) / Motorway Rebel (Demo) / Children Of The Absurd (Demo)/ Clever Fool (Demo) / Strange Flavour (Demo) / Odd Man Out (Demo) / Highway Blues (Demo)] - Rock Fever Music RFM 004 (2000)


Useless Info - The 45 was produced by Jay Shotam of The October Cherries who, along with his brother and Cherries manager; Bal Shotam started Baal Records.



Loads More Info In the Download

Sunday 15 April 2018

R.P.M. - Now That Summer's Here (1981)

b/w I'm Energy

2 above average New Wave tracks from this London based band (1979-82)

Geoff Grange (Voc, Guitar, Harmonica)   
Lee Jacob (Guitar, Voc) ex Pinups
Alan (Waff) Rear (Bass, Voc) ex Pinups
Alan Moore (Drums) ex Sundance & Judas Priest
Cliff Stanbrook (Keys, Guitar) ex Oberon 


Discography

I'm Energy on VA 101 Beyond The Groove - Polydor, 2478 140) 15-11-1980

7" Now That Summer's Here / I'm Energy - Ariola ARO264 July 1981
7" Lost in Space / Watch the World Go Round Ariola ARO267 August 1981

All tracks Recorded @ Strawberry Studios South & Produced by Tony Mansfield @ sessions recorded for Arriva Records between 1979 & 1980

In 2014 a CD was made available of their "Lost LP Sessions"
[Urban Foxes 5.47 (Jacob/Rear) / Watch the World Go Round 3.38 (Jacob/Rear) / Lost in Space 3.34 (Jacob/Rear) / Frozen Generations 3.16 (Jacob/Rear) / The Power Game 3.41 (Jacob/Rear) / Now That Summer's Here 3.47 (Jacob/Rear) / 1982 4.08 (Jacob/Rear) / She's Never Wrong 3.46 (Jacob/Rear) / I'm Energy 3.56 (Stanbrook) / Sensorama 3.59 (Stanbrook) / Love Will Keep You Dancing 4.22 (Jacob/Rear)]
The CD also included 3 tracks Engineered by Andy Gerius & Recorded at TMC Studios.
[ Things Are Gonna Change Today 2.43 (Jacob/Rear) "an early song that didn't make it to the album sessions" / Tiger Tears 3.21 (Jacob/Rear) & These Feelings 3.25 (Jacob/Rear) "both written after the album was completed"]


Post RPM

Alan Rear and Lee Jacobs who went on to form Search Party.
Cliff Stanbrook Joined Stolen Pets
Geoff Grange Formed Sons of Heroes with Terry Taylor & Carmelo Luggeri
Alan Moore Gave up the music business for a while.


For more info, Sounds & Scans Etc


NB - If anyone has the above CD please send it

Sunday 11 March 2018

Walter Egan - Baby Let's Run Away (1981)


b/w First Date, Last Date

If you like The Paul Collins Beat Give this a listen..

7" Baby Let's Runaway/"Johnny Z" (Is A Real Cool Guy) - Columbia 1-11297 06-1980 USA Issue   
7" Baby Let's Runaway/First Date, Last Date - Edge EDGE 11 24-04-1981 UK Issue

Baby Let's Run Away is from the LP The Last Stroll [Recorded between 1st Febuary & 17th March 1980 @ Sound City, Van Nuys, California] which correctly uses Run Away as two words.

The Semi-Professional band were:

Walter Lindsay Egan - (Voc, Rhythm Guitar, Percussion)
Tom "Monte X" Moncrieff - (Lead Guitar)
John Selk - (Bass, Voc)
Lee Kix - (Drums, Percussion, Voc)
Skip Edwards - (Keys, Guitar, Voc)
Annie McLoone – (Backing Voc)
Special Guest: Deke Leonard - Backing Vocs    

Producer - Earle Mankey (Credits include 20/20, Paley Brothers & The Dickies)

"I related to my music through how I felt about the music when I was a kid. Rock ‘n’ roll was a salvation, an energy, a coming of age of some sort, a feeling of your own music, a feeling of pure enjoyment. The music has to have the beat, the energy and the intensity. That’s what real rock ‘n’ roll has." - Walter Egan, June 5, 1980



Walter Egan Bio By Martin Reichold & Jason Ankeny

At first glance, Walter Egan would seem to be the archetypal California rock musician. His first band was a surf group, and [in promotional photos] he certainly looks the part. His late '70s/early '80s had C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A written all over them; they were sunny, melodic and seemed to belong on a car radio with the top down, and the endless coastal highway disappearing from view.

The only thing wrong with that picture is the fact that Walter Egan was raised in New York [at the polar opposite end of the country]. He was born on July 12, 1948 in the Jamaica suburb of New York City, and (like most kids of that age) his first memories of music centered around Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan Show. It was the folk boom that inpsired Egan to take up music, though. In 1963 he bought his first guitar and learned how to play from a Kingston Trio songbook.

Egan's musical direction changed dramatically in the wake of the Beatles, and (more especially) the Beach Boys. He wanted to play in a rock group, and formed a band called the 'Malibooz." They were a New York surf band comprising Egan on guitar and vocals, his friend John Zambetti on lead guitar, drummer Tom Scarpe and pick-up bass players. At this time, Walter was so much in the thrall of the Beach Boys that he tried on numerous occasions to call Brian Wilson.

The end of high school meant the end of the Malibooz, although they experienced a brief revival when they recorded a reunion album for the Los Angeles-based Rhino label ('Malibooz Rules').

After the break up, Zambetti and Egan formed another group in Boston while they were attending college. They called themselves 'Sageworth and Drums' (later simply 'Sageworth'). The group was completed by Ralph Dammann on bass, Matt Sheppard on drums and vocalist Annie McLoone. By this point, the vogue for surf music had passed, and Sageworth turned their attention to th latest sounds emanating from California: psychedelia as performed by Jefferson Airplane.

Before long, John Zambetti concentrated on his medical studies, and was repleaced by John Borge and a second singer, Jack Burkhardt, which made the replication of the Airplane sound even easier. The group lasted until 1973, when Egan finally decided to move to the west coast, (just as he was about to make the move) an old bass player from the Malibooz, Bob Donaldson, arrived in town with his new group, Dangerfish.
The group comprised Donaldson, his brother Tom and Cosmo Goldberg. They began playing with Egan and McLoone. "We figured that none of us knew exactly what was going on at that point," said Egan. "We wanted to survive and so, having the contacts from playing the Boston area and knowing the clubs, we just put together a group to play - and that filled the time between the end of '73 and April '74."

Sageworth actually had a few cracks at the big time, and rubbed shoulders with the soon-to-be-rich and famous. However, Egan never trusted any of the managerial candidates who presented themselves, and they remained very much a local act. They played the Bitter End in New York with Jackson Browne, and trivia buffs may care to note that the first time Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris sang together was in Egan's kitchen. After they started working together, Parsons and Harris performed Hearts on Fire, a song written by Egan and his bassplayer Tom Guidera (who later played in Emmylou Harris's band).

Despite this, Egan still had his heart set on California [more so after he got robbed twice in Boston]. He eventually moved to Claremont, thirty miles outside greater Los Angeles, where he lived with Chris Darrow, then Linda Ronstadt's tour manager. Darrow had just released his first solo album and was looking for musicians to work with him on a promotional tour to be conducted with another United Artists act, the British group 'Man.' The tour even touched down briefly in London.

After their return, Darrow and Egan worked in another band, the Ghostriders, who changed their name to 'Wheels.' They played the California club scene, but, at the end of 1974, Darrow lost his house, and Egan went back to New York to spend Christmas with his family. Back in California, he got a call from Jackson Browne who wanted Egan to help out with backing vocals on the 'Late for the Sky' album. After the sessions were completed, Egan went out on tour with Browne in support of the album, but, despite that, 1975 was a lean year for him. He was writing a lot of songs - in fact, many of the songs that appeared on his first three albums.

Walter Egan's big chance came in the person of Andrew Lauder, later head of Demon/Edsel and Silvertone Records, then an A&R manager at the British division of United Artists. He caught Egan and Wheels at the Troubadour, and, on February 1, 1976, he offered Egan a solo contract. Egan accepted.

Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were to produce Egan's first album, and they were completing 'Rumours' with Fleetwood Mac. They recorded the basic tracks over the course of two weeks in June 1976, [but with Buckingham and Nicks' commitments to Fleetwood Mac] they didn't finish the final mix until January 1977.

The record was only released in England, but the strength of the material and the presige accorded by the involvement of Buckingham and Nicks, got Egan a contract with Columbia Records in the States. From that point, the pace quickened. The first Columbia single, Only The Lucky, crawled up the Hot 100 as far as 82 in the summger of 1977. The supporting tour was very successful, though, because of the tight band, sexually outspoken songs and the participation of Buckingham and Nicks. So, it was no surprise when Magnet and Steel, the first single puleed from Egan's second album, 'Not Shy,' reached into the Top 10. The second single from the album, Hot Summer Nights, peacked out half way up the Hot 100.

The third album, 'Hi-Fi', was much more a band effort. After the success of Magnet and Steel, Egan had formed his Professional Band, including his old partner Annie McLoone, together with John Selk on bass, Monte X. Moncrieff on guitar, Skip Edwards on keyboards and drummer Mike Huey. This time, Egan produced himself, and he and his new band gave the sound a harder, rockier edge than 'Not Shy.' In the process, Egan lost his audience. Colubmia released three singles; none of them charted. A similar fate befell his final Columbia album, appropriately titled 'The Last Stroll.' The songs didn't have the strength of Egan's previous albums, and Earle Mankey's production was too guitar-heavy. By the time the album was recorded, Annie McLoone had left Egan's band to pursue a solo career, and, as a consequence, his vocals sounded thin.

Columbia dropped Egan after 'Hi-Fi' failed, and he concentrated first on the reunion project with Malibooz, and then acquired a new contract with the MCA spinoff label, Backstreet. For them, Egan recorded the 'Wild Exhibitions' album, released in 1983. The first single pulled from the set, Full Moon Fire, charted respectably at number 46, but Egan couldn't sustain the momentum.

Egan maintained a low musical profile during the remainder of the decade, increasingly turning his energies toward graphic art.

Finally, in 1992, Egan resurfaced on the Malibooz's Malibooz Yule: A Malibu Kind of Christmas, and in 1999 released the solo Walternative. The Lost Album, released in 2000, was originally recorded in 1985 and featured guest appearances from Jackson Browne, Christine McVie, and Randy California. It was followed in 2002 by Apocalypso Now, another winning collection of sophisticated pop/rock.
In 2005, the Acadia label reissued Egan's first four records on two double-disc sets. In 2011, from his home in Franklin, he produced an album entitled Raw Elegant that was released on Spectra Records
In 2014, Egan returned with an ambitious new album, Myth America, and he continued to make occasional live appearances while also exhibiting his visual art.

Useless Info

1 In 1985, Egan was a four-time champion on the game show Catchphrase.
2 Jul 1986 - Jun 1987 He toured as a Bass player for Spirit
3 A Cover of Baby Let's Run Away was released by Sweden's Björn Skifs for his Boys Will Be Boys 1984 7" 
4 He is listed as co-writer on the Eminem hit "We Made You". The song's producer, Dr. Dre, believed he was inspired by (& used samples of) the bass line from  "Hot Summer Nights

Sunday 18 February 2018

The Cry - Love Is Necessary (1981)



b/w Ends Are Split


Lois Kent (Voc)
Sean Mark (Guitar)
Kevin [Andy Redman-Lee] (Bass)
Lee Cooper (Drums)
Reginald Dixon [Andy Redman-Lee] (Keys)



2 sides of Female Voc led New Wave from this West London based band. Love Is Necessary being more for the Synth lover, whereas the Bass led Ends Are Split is much more up my street.

As always if anyone can add any info please get in touch.

Sounds & Scans

Saturday 13 January 2018

Plain Jane - One Look (1980)

German Pressing
b/w Loving You

1st of 2 New Wave/Powerpop 45's for this 5 peice Cheshire based band. Led by Jean-Marc Mariole & Steve Beck

(Unfortunately for a band that had their records released in the UK / Sweden / Germany / France / Portugal & Italy there is scant info on them. Although a writing credit was given to Lloyd & another of them could have been Guitarist Gary Murphy)

J.M.Mariole & S Beck did turn up again in Household Names who released a 45 in 1981 "White Light / Much Too Young To Love" on the Blue Chip Label. [Better known to collectors for the Kicks - If Looks Could Kill & Smart Alec - My Mummy 45's]

UK Discography
One Look/Loving You - Avatar [AAA102] 21st August 1980 - No P/S
Too Serious/Made In Hong Kong - Creole [CR 220] 12th December 1980 - No P/S

Useless Info - Mariole/Beck also had a writing credit on the B-side of a 1981 Finland release "Birgitta Leinonen - Usko Pois/Rakkaus"

 As always, if anyone can add any info, please leave a comment


Sounds & Scans +