Double O's - He's Not There (1984)

b/w Standover

Nice female vocal led, surf / 60's nuggets / ska sounding 45

The "Darlings of the Northern Beaches" Sydney band were

Louise Beckett (voc)
Ian Harding (lead guitar)
Hayden Horne (rhythm guitar) left before this 45 was recorded
Dave Stoneman (bass)
Ronnie Welsh (drums) later, replaced by Scott McRae
Meg Brainsky (keyboards) joined sometime after this 45

This; their 2nd of 3, 45's gives us 2 original tunes: the A side being penned by Harding & Stoneman whilst the B was by Dave Maynard (ex Rhythm guitar - replaced by Hayden) It was produced by Phil Sharrock & engineered by Stuart Peters at Albert Studios, King St, Sydney & was pressed by the EMI Custom Records Plant.

The other 45's were
Music Set Us Free / The Point / Why / Surf' n' Sand - EMI Custom Records (1983)
We Can Overcome/? - ? (1985) - Not so sure this exists as a 45

We Can Overcome was also released on the Compilation Sound Of Sydney Vol 3 before it became a 45

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?apsiz45h7e7kn6a

Thanks to Phil Sharrock for helping with the above info

Stepaside - Yellow Chair (1981)

b/w Play The Game

Very good powerpop / pop rock from a Dublin based band that had been going in one form or another since 1971 (& still reform on occasion)

Yellow Chair is a re recorded version of a track that first appeared on their Sidestep / Gale records LP from 1980 (the original recording is also included in the download so you can compare & contrast).
It was one of the last records pressed for the bankrupt Louis Walsh ran Spider Records (allegedly the record was never officially released with the discs being dumped "out the back" of the Dublin Warner Bros offices )

The band on this 45 were
Mick O'Hagan (Voc bass)
Brendan "Brenny" Bonass (guitar)
Niall Power (drums)
Dennis Woods (Keyboards)

However the band on the LP version were
Paul Ashford RIP (voc bass)
Brendan Bonass (guitar voc)
Robbie Brennan (drums voc)
Dave MacAnaney AKA Dave Kodak (Keyboards)
Mark Costigan (guitar) - who is ignored on the LP sleeve but credited with writing some of the songs

Stepaside named themselves after a Dublin Suburb If you want to know more about the band (bio & discography) visit Irishrock.org

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?0jajzs89j99mb6f

Dirty Rust - Gnistrande Snö EP (1981)

A1 - 4 Månader
A2 - Dirty Rust A Reggae
B1 - Squaller
B2 - I Staden

Welcome to my 1st Swedish powerpop post (there are more to come, most being courtesy of Fredrik. who has been bestowing on me the rich wonders of "Alternative Scandinavia")

The four piece were from a small town called Kisa
Anders E Nilsson (voc guitar)
Pelle Håå (guitar voc)
Thomas Saxon (bass voc )
"Rasta Hunter" Carlsson (drums guitar voc)

I can't tell you much about the band except, if you like this ep there also exists video footage of them from a rock contest in 1982 "I Linköping" on which they play 3 songs including "I Staden".
& to carry on my useless info for at least this post
Anders E Nilsson's Sister was Inger Nilsson a child actress famous for being Pippi Longstocking on the 70's tv show/Films.

Sounds & Scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?e75g57pfbvn2vqr

The Attractions - Single Girl (1980)

b/w - Slow Patience

OK, not so rare but definitely overlooked (Why?)
Is it because the boys dared to fly with out Mr Costello I wonder!

Bruce Thomas (bass guitar voc)
Steve "Nieve" Nason (keyboard voc guitar)
Pete Thomas (drums)

produced/engineered by Roger Bechirian

Both sides of the 45 were taken from the LP Mad About The Wrong Boy
Of the 16 tracks on the album, Single Girl & 6 other tracks were penned by Steve (under a pseudonym of Norman Brain) & Faye Hart (his then girlfriend) - 4 as Steve Nieve. The remainder (including Slow Patience) were jointly written By Bruce & Pete Thomas (no relation).

Useless info 1 - Nason received his musical moniker "Nieve" (Naïve) while on the Attractions' first tour for Stiff Records: it was bestowed by fellow tourmate Ian Dury who had been astonished by Nason's innocent query, "What's a groupie?
Useless info 2 - The sleeve was designed by Barney Bubbles - the front being an illustration by himself of little china dogs from his parent’s mantelshelf. Whilst the back echoed the innersleeve of their LP using a trick of highlighting certain letters in the condensed font slogan “FBEAT WHERE THE ATTRACT!ONS IS” to spell out the record company’s west London location: FBeat, Acton (6 Horn Lane W3).

There's the obligatory Myspace if your interested

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?ipaobux6kt3p0c3

Coil - Motor Industry (1979)

b/w - Alcoholstark

I believe this Northampton based 4 piece may have listened to a bit of XTC before going into the recording studio (Beck, Wellingborough). - BTW that's a good thing, these 2 tracks are excellent self penned numbers.

The band (who ran from late '78-80 & reconvened in '86 have a site here)
were
Finbar Lilis (voc)
Phil Dann (guitar)
Tony Harrison (bass)
Steve Curtis (drums)

They have a MySpace & are on Facebook if you want to contact them

There's some more info over at Deadbeats (thanks to the person that left a comment about this post)

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?xc1fapec73jtucu

Diesel - Sound Of The 60's (1984)

b/w - Workin' Man

Nice 45 from the Dutch band that had already given us this (albeit with an almost completely different line up - the band ran from 1978 -85)

Mark Boon (voc guitar)
Jan Loomans (voc guitar)
Hank Hager (voc, guitar)
Wijnard Ott (guitar voc)
Andre Versluijs (bass)
Ronald Oor (drums)

For the recording of "Sound of the 60's" Diesel were really a trio, utilizing André's bass and Ronald's drums with Mark singing & playing all the guitars, there's also a bit of synth in there too. It was recorded at Rosegarden Studio in Utrecht and engineered by Paul Post.
Jan wrote & sang on"Workin' man" which was recorded at the Stable Studio in Arnhem and engineered by Roel Toering.

For information on the band members & a pretty comprehensive history go Here

Sounds & scans below

Sorry No download - I've been asked to remove the link

Thane - Romance Down The Drain (1981)

b/w Transparent Love

Cool slice of New wave for this, the bands 2nd (& final) 45. - The 1st being Traffic Jam / Frankie Boy also on Badge records (I've included a badge discography in the download for those interested)

The London based band were
Paul Thane (Voc)*
Neil Fitch (Guitar voc)
Dave O'Willams (bass voc)
Phil Fortesque Longden (keyboards)*
Steve Cussack (drums)

* both were later in "Fear Of Flying"

Traffic Jam was also on the 101 club various LP "Beyond The Groove"

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?wcvglp06xw4bbwj

The Dials - Get Up And Dance (1980)

b/w - She Thought Her Nose Was Bleeding But It's Not

It's been a while since I've posted some Ska so let's rectify that with this.

The Second & final offering from this Middlesex (Sunbury) band. Their 1st was way more punk & can be found here.

Personally I really like the instrumental b-side

The Band were
Matt Stokes (voc)
Neil Howes (guitar, keyboards)
Jamie Bolster (bass)
Jeff Hemsley (drums)
Neil Clarke (sax)

Neil Howes & Jeff Hemsley went on to form the synth pop Thirteen At Midnight

What I find strange about this record is that it has a cat #HS404 but the dead wax has HS403 scratched into it (the b-side also has "wipe this on yer sleeve") not that strange you say..... but there are labels underneath the ones shown & you can just make out HS403 / Roy Hill - "From the bottom of my heart/?" (produced by Hill/Acock) - aborted 45 perhaps!

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?o9b35pzrlhn9vex

The Debutantes - Adolescent Love (1983)

b/w - Say Hello

Great 60's mod pop sounding 45 from this Australian (All Female) Band - If you like Dolly Mixture, then Give this a go!

Merran Laginestra (Voc, Keys)
Judy Sinclair (lead Guitar, Voc)
Alison Gee (Rhythm Guitar Voc)
Bette Summerson (Bass)
Tina Tsiamis (Drums)

The band was formed whist they were still studying at the Pymble Ladies College in Sydney & lasted a few years doing the pub circuit there.

The only member I could find any info on was Merran Laginestra who has had an interesting career & is now living in Madrid (Myspace).

There is a Writing credit for "Say Hello" of Stighardt. (which, by the way has a great kinks guitar sound to it.)

Thanks to Ali Gee for the extra info - see comments

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?6e8l98nmcd005m3

Trendsetters - Set The Trend EP (1981)

A1 - We Are Young
A2 - Born To Follow
B1 - Catholic Girls
B2 - Pressure

Great Punky powerpop from this Pennsylvania qaurtet that I'm posting for the Punk Business Manager (It's been on his mp'3 wants for too long)

Ronnie Rock (voc guitar)
Mike Stanley (guitar voc) - good to see he's got rid of that mustache!!
Bill Byron (bass) ? (I think this is him)
Kevin Shire (drums voc)


If you want to see some cool videos of the band & other projects of Ronnie Rock follow the link

Sounds & Scans Below

http://www.mediafire.com/?8yvxcazcs5bhac8