B.G. And The Mouse - Breaker One Four (1981)

b/w - Channel Tunnel

Quirky little tune from the pen of Peter (The Mouse) Malski

I received an E-mail from Peter last week, with the sad news that Barry Gibbons (B.G.) had passed away earlier this month. As I'd obtained a copy of this a few weeks ago I thought it fitting to post it as a (sort of) epitaph.

This is the duo's 1st 45 for Maestro records (2nd here) I'm not sure if there were any session players used but my guess is Mike Fuller (sax) & Mick Jaques (drums) were most likely involved.

According to Peter; the CB jargon was from a "glossary of CB slang" that came with a CB Radio set bought for his then 10 year old son. The tune was hummed into a tape recorder & then sent to Barry, who did the rest.

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?b6civkg1bsdjoaj

The Official Secrets - Fooling With My Heart (1981)

b/w - Paradise Time

Nice bit o' Mod / powerpop from this Welsh (Cardiff) band

Christopher Duffy (voc)
Philip Cilia (guitar)
Nick Newman (bass)
Dave Elliott (drums)
Gareth Bond (keyboards)

By the looks of the sleeve / labels I'd hazard a guess that they may have been working under the name "the Secrets" but due to the many other bands using this moniker, lengthened it.

Chris Duffy & Phil Cilia later went on to fame (?) as Waterfront who have a myspace

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?0h78xqsg98sz108

Frank Xerox And The Copy Cats - Judy In Disguise (1978)

b/w - Rock Show

Great cover of the 1967 hit from "John Fred And His Playboy Band"

There's already plenty of info on this over at 45 revs

Just In case you can't be bothered to click on the link though....

Frank Xerox was Chris Gent (voc)- later in The Stukas / Autographs / Blue Meanies amongst others
& the Copy Cats were "the Speedometers" - another band he later joined
Ian Taylor (guitar)
Martin Findlay (guitar)
Robbie Watson (bass)
Lol Gellor (drums)

If you like Judy In Disguise there's also an interesting synth-pop version of it by the Silicon Teens or a straight bubblegum version by ?

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?u950bivhsd4v4at

Eugene And The Syncopaters - The Great Romantic (1980)

b/w - Kitten Kicker

1st of 3 45's for this "comedy" band on the Bob & John Hardman owned Swamp Records.

The record utilizes the "golden tonsils" of Sir Arthur Throat on The Great Romantic & there is a "vocal extravaganza" from Nigel Nasty Sandwich on Kitten Kicker.

This may have been their most popular release as it managed to be picked up (& released early '81) by Elton John's Rocket record company (XPRES 50)

BTW it's the b-side that's worth a listen - sort of comedy punk 'n' roll

The other 2 releases were:
Keep Your Pecker Up / Gorgeous Girl (WAM 113 - June '81)
Something On Your shoe / Knock Kneed Knellie (WAM 116 - November '81) - I'd only recommend them if you like the A side of this - otherwise steer clear!

For a better 45 on this label go here

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?7qcau24cy6a3f7y

Eyes - Eyes EP (1980)

A1 - Is He Your Boyfriend Now?
A2 - Here And Now
B1 - No Woman Of Mine Would
B2 - Dirty Shame

Great powerpop on the 1st track but the other 3 are just good rock tunes.

I've put this down as Dutch but the band was one of many for Canadian born & Californian living Neil Merryweather (voc bass) who was living, working (producing acts for Dureco Records) in Amsterdam at the time.
The story goes that he was friends with Cees Wessels (head of Dutch RCA Records) who wanted him to record some follow up tracks in the same vein as one of his earlier bands (Space Rangers) So he was signed to RCA & brought Michael Willis (guitar, voc also ex Space Rangers) over from Los Angeles. They then augmented the line up with drummer Cees Meerman from Herman Broods Wild Romance & Ken Spence (sax & Rhythm guitar) from Nina Hagen’s band.
In the middle of winter '79, the band left for Northern Holland to record an album “Radical Genes” at the Spitzbergen Studios. All 4 of these tracks are lifted from it.
Once the LP was finished Cees was replaced by Belgian drummer Rogier Wollaert & the band toured the record at small town venues around Amsterdam.
The band folded, as Willis returned to California.

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?6n2lucn0bl5qmh6

RollerCoaster - Love Of The Loved (1980)

b/w - (You Should) Forget That Girl

Great Beatle-esque powerpop from this Utrecht area Band.

Paul Stuiver (voc guitar) ex clouds
Henk Hager (guitar voc) ex 909 later in Diesel
Cok Stuiver (bass voc) ex clouds
Tim Rijken (drums) later in The Few

The Stuiver brothers started the band in '77 along with drummer Ronald Visser & a 4th member who tragically died in '78. The band laid dormant until '79 when Hager & Rijen joined. This 45 being released in Feb 1980 (A cover of The Beatles' then-unreleased "Love Of The Loved" financed by the Beatles Unlimited magazine in a print run of 500 numbered copies).
On the strength of this recording they were offered a recording deal by Torso Records (same label as the Rousers) for which there are 4 recorded (June 1980) but unreleased tracks gathering dust on a shelf somewhere.
(The Tracks are Can't Stop / So You're Sorry / Night Of Romance / Come On Home)
The reason they are unreleased was due to an internal argument over another possible deal (Bert Vegter -manager of Teaser and Turbo - was starting his own record label, Pure Gold Records)
This disagreement ultimately led to Henk Hager leaving to start his own band "The Cast" & being replaced by Erik Compeer who is name checked on their 2nd & Final 45
(You Should) Forget That Girl / Come On home (1981 - Pure Gold records).
He apparently never played on the 45 & only lasted a few weeks before being replaced by Peter Alberts (also ex 909)
The Band split in November 1981 when Rijken & Alberts formed "The Few" with ex Rousers Bassist Rob Marienus.

Sorry been asked to remove the link but thanks to Sjef for the extra info

Emanon - Raging Pain (1977)

b/w - Rip A Bough

Love this 45 - It's taken me ages to get a copy (unfortunately it's without the stamped die-cut sleeve) so now it's your turn to hear & probably want!

If you've followed the link. You'll have read the blurb & as I can't add anything to it it's a short post today!

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?6gnenippn16pu58

Bonus Boys - Everytime I See A Car Like Yours Go By (1979)

b/w - Wasting Our Time

This is for Razor over at short sharp kick in the teeth who has just posted their 2nd (& final) 45.
There was a 3rd "So Sad / Head For The Hills" that was recorded but unreleased ( I'm not sure if there are any promo/acetates around)
BTW the 2nd 45 was released due to them winning recording time from a Vancouver "Battle of the bands" contest - beating amongst others the Modernettes (punk Powerpop) / Microwave (Rock) & Volts (Rock)

The Vancouver based Band (1979 - '81) were

Kim Clarke R.I.P. (voc guitar)
Jack Matthews (guitar voc)
Elmar Spanier (bass voc) later in Blue Shadows
Jay "J.B." Johnson (drums voc) later in Blue Shadows

In 1984, 3 members formed Moccasin Telegraph with a new bass player Barry Weih (Wye).

There is a myspace here where you can hear the aborted 45 & get a decent bio on the Bonus Boys.

You can also hear a few tracks from Kim Clarke's 1986 LP "It's A Grey Day" over at Vinyl Obscurity

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?2eke3qyowk5aj48

The Bees - Leave Willie Alone (1980)

b/w - Mr Gaynor

Great powerpop from this Letchworth / Hitchen area band
(I know Mr Gaynor has been comped on Powerpearls 10 & I suspect Leave Willie Alone is on something - I just can't be bothered to look)

The Band were
Pete Phillips (voc)
Rick Camp (guitars voc)
Clive Tonkin (bass)
John Wilson (drums voc)

According to the label Owner Terry Friend it was a toss up between signing The Bees or another local band The Varicose Veins. He obviously choose the Bees, who promptly broke up just after the record was released. (For him a regretful choice - For us another great tune)
Coincidentally Terry's label release before The Bees 45 was The Bleach Boys on Tramp records (TRAMP THF002)

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?f1xwjgfna7db3n6

APB - Chain Reaction (1981)

b/w - Power Crisis

Time for a bit of Pop Punk from this Scottish (Ellon) Trio.

Iain Slater (voc bass)
Glenn Roberts (guitar)
George Cheyne (drums)

This was the 1st of a bunch of 45's but their best D.I.Y. punk offering.
Their 2nd 45 is much more post-punk/funk & then it's all "funky bass guitar" there-after until their 1987 45 Missing You Already/Best Of Our Love - Red River Records which is pretty good indie

There's loads of info here

& there's a website here


Sounds & Scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?7xh3ebjzx39xx9t