The Same - I'm A Face (1980)

b/w - 1918

Canadian Only release for this U.K. South Coast (Bexhill / Eastbourne) Area Mod band.

Band members (1979 -'80) were

Mark Poole (voc)
David Blundell (guitar)
Rod Morrison (bass)
Alan Dickens (drums)

Not to be confused with these guys who were also active at this time.

In the UK, these tracks were only available on the Uppers On The South Coast - Various Artists LP (Both Versions). Both sides being produced by Ray Fenwick who at the time, was a member of another band on the LP ((The South Coast Ska Stars)

Coincidentally (or not!) this release (Gamma GA5055) followed The Teenbeats - I Can't Control Myself / I'll Never Win - Gamma GA 5054) both tracks also being from the afore mentioned VA LP & a minor hit on the Canadian billboard.

For the eagle eyed the labels say - From the Album : I Can't Control Myself - Again this is the same VA LP (Canadian name for the 1st press without the Purple Hearts - pics here [scroll a bit])

Sounds & scans Below

http://www.mediafire.com/?hxj661hlfa8zhlu

The Tigers - (Walk Tall) Do The Crawl (1980)

b/w - Go For It

The final offering from the Ska/New wave band The Tigers that got a promo release just before Christmas (I think it had a general release in Jan '81)

Tony Jacks (voc. guitar)
Ross McGeeney (guitar, voc)
Nic Potter (bass)
Pete Dobson (drums)
Nick Cola (keyboards, voc)

For a decent bio (which I refuse to plagiarize go here)

In an interview (Oct '80) Tony stated he (& Nick Cola) was working with a couple of young guys called "the Dynamites" (well in Feb '81 this same 45 got a release on the logo label under their name - it's in the download so you can compare & contrast)

Strike Records UK Releases (up to 1981)

STEP 1 - TONY JACKSUN - Night time Games EP - 7" June 1978
STING 1 - THE TIGERS - Savage Music / Jack It Up - 7" Nov 1979
STIK 2 - THE TIGERS - Big Expense, Small Income / Kidding Stops - 7" Dec 1979
STAB 1 - THE TIGERS - Savage Music - LP Jan 1980
KIK 1 - THE TIGERS - Kidding Stops / Big Expense, Small Income - 7" Feb 1980
KIK 2 - THE TIGERS - Ska Trekkin / Religion Fot The Hungary - 7" 1980
KIK 3 - THE TIGERS - Promises Promises / Ska Trekkin - 7" June 1980
KIK 4 -THE TIGERS - Savage Music / Ice Cold In Fulham - 7" Oct 1980
KIK 5 - THE TIGERS - (Walk Tall) Do The Crawl / Go For It - 7" - Dec 1980
KIK 6 -TONY JACKS - I Hear A Heartbeat / Wild & Free - 7" - Nov 1981

Logo Records (Strike Records Productions)

GO 396 THE Dynamites - (Walk Tall) Do The Crawl / Go For It - 7" - Feb 1981
GO 399 THE Dynamites - Let's Do It Tonight / The Way That I Feel - 7" April 1981

NON UK Releases

WEA 18159 (France) THE TIGERS - Kidding Stops / Big Expense, Small Income - 7" 1979
WEA 18159 ? (Japan) THE TIGERS - Kidding Stops / Big Expense, Small Income - 7" 1980
WEA 18260 (Italy) THE TIGERS - Ska Trekkin' / Religion Fot The Hungary - 7" 1980
WEA 18272 (Germany) THE TIGERS - Ska Trekkin' / Promises Promises - 7" 1980
WEA 18272 (France) THE TIGERS - Ska Trekkin' / Promises Promises - 7" 1980
WEA K 58163 (Italy) THE TIGERS - Savage Music - LP 1980
WEA WEA 58163 (Germany) THE TIGERS - Savage Music - LP 1980
A&M SP 4817 (USA / Canada) THE TIGERS - Savage Music - LP May 1980
A&M 2266 (USA) THE TIGERS - Make-Up Girl (Mono) / Make-Up Girl (Stereo) 7" July 1980

See the download for a more in-depth & extended Strike Records discography...... (if you can add to this please leave a comment)

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?4qoi1xtdm1ylg1z

The Kitchens - The Death Of Rock N Roll EP (1979)

A - The Death Of Rock 'N' Roll
B1 - Lies
B2 - 'A' Bomb

Duncan Fulton (voc guitar)
Andy "Sprog" Ford (guitar voc)
Ruth Jones (bass)
Andy Lovelock (drums)

Salisbury's first punk band was formed early 1977 with an original line up of Duncan Fulton (bass voc) Fred Philips (guitar) [both ex Shining Hearts Band] & Andy Lovelock (Drums) this was the augmented by Paul Kelly (guitar) & [briefly] Colin Holton (bass). Paul then left, Duncan switched to guitar & Gavin Lear (rhythm guitar) & Ian Stramm (bass) joined. These 2 then also left & with the addition of "Sprog" Ford, the band for a while became a trio. Ruth then joined on bass to make the classic line up that recorded this cool slice of New wave.
Sprog left the band in early 1980 to join the QT's & the remaining 3 continued for a few months (supporting the Martian Schoolgirls on a mini tour - who coincidently Ruth later played with) before calling it a day.

Fore more info on the many bands these guys were in, I suggest buying this:

Endless Beat - Voices Of the New Sarum Sound 1970-1999

BTW - Andy Lovelock is the son of James Lovelock (originator of the Gaia theory)

Here's a review of The Death Of Rock N Roll EP by Perry M, from Vague 3, 1980:
'Salisbury band the Kitchens recently got some money together and had this record pressed. The A side is one of their more recent songs ‘The Death of Rock’n’Roll’, and is quite a slow and vaguely blues song. The B side has two tracks, ‘Lies’ and ‘A Bomb’. The best track is ‘A Bomb’ which has a great introduction, Andy Ford - no longer with the band - plays guitar, and some good bass beats come through. The record was a good effort, but it doesn’t show the band’s full talent, as Andy Lovelock is a fantastic drummer, and Andy Ford is/was a better guitarist than can be heard on this record.
The Kitchens didn’t seem to have the production trouble that the QTs had with their EP, and of the two the Kitchens’ is the better record.

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?ssfh8svhg42f12e

Meadow Mist - Christmas Isn't Christmas (When You're Not There) (1981)

b/w - Love Your Neighbour

Well it's that time of year again & I've noticed my Xmas posts from last year are getting quite a few hits, so here's a new one.

For a decent new wave track really it's the B-side you'll want to listen to (Love that bass guitar)

I can't tell you much about the band except both sides were penned by possible siblings C. Laurent & T. Laurent

They could've been London based. This is due to the dead wax inscription - "Graeme - Sound Clinic" which means it was mastered by Graeme Durham at the Sound Clinic (based at 20A, British Grove, Chiswick, London W4 - an Island Records owned Mastering / cutting studio handling both "in-house" and "3rd-party" work until it's 1987 closure)

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?6fm1d155llx97xx

Naughty Boys - I Can't Explain (1981)

b/w - Nite Fight

I'm posting this more for the interest value than the sounds (It's more progressive / Folk than New wave - however I still like it!)

Tthe tracks are penned by Bilbo Birks & Martin Priester (who play all instruments except organ [see below] & the accoustic guitar [P Penfield])

Bill (Bilbo) Birks is Canadian born, moving to the UK in the 70's and seems to have worked with everyone & his dog.
What will interest most New wave collectors is the fact his co-producer (& keyboard player) is Glen Tommey & that both of them played together as session artists on the first Korgis LP.
I suspect this was recorded at The Crescent Recording Studios in Bath as Glen was an engineer there.
Around the time this 45 was released Bill was also commissioned by C.B.S Germany to write some music for a film soundtrack (Piratensender Powerplay) using the name "Contraband". Culminating in a Germany only 45 Radio Powerplay / Didn't Mean It - CBS 2108 [1981]

Check out what Bill is doing now here

BTW there is a slightly different pressing of this 45 having a different label style & comes in a pic sleeve

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?agktywyagtzo1q7

Tony Koklin - Claude Monet (1980)

b/w - Lucky Man

Two New Wave / Powerpop tunes from Dublin based Tony (Coughlan) Koklin (R.I.P.) with Lucky Man being my pick of the two (Nice touches of Roxy Music).

Tony (voc guitar) was helped on this 45 by
Phillip Cullen (bass voc)
Ronnie Fitzpatrick (drums)
Brian Brady (keyboards)

This was the 2nd of 2 45's, released to, pretty much an uninterested "general public" in January 1981, the 1st was Cinderella / Living With The Times - Mulligan Records [1979]
If you want to read a biography of Mr Coughlan pop over to IrishRock.Org (This covers the recording of the LP & the aborted 3rd 45 pretty well)

Sounds & Scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?0t620rm8ttv6as8

The Bodgers - Stutter (1982)

b/w - I Hate Phoning Girls

Firstly; I know this has been posted elsewhere but it's a great 45 (admittedly not very PC - but how many records do you know that rhyme sediment with impediment)

Secondly; I'm having trouble uploading to my mediafile account, so for a while I'll be pretty much only posting things that are already there.

The band (Comedy Troupe) were 4 student friends from George Watson's College, Edinburgh & were

Pete Baikie

Moray Hunter

Jack (AKA John) Docherty

Gordon Kennedy

They had a sketch show that performed every year (1980-'85) at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival & were then commisioned by BBC Radio 4 for a show (In Other Words....The Bodgers) that became Bodgers, Banks and Sparkes with the addition of Morwenna Banks and John Sparkes.

The team later became more famous for the Channel 4 Television sketch show Absolutely

http://www.mediafire.com/?70ohjocm0721oh7

V/A - Swindon, This Is Swindon EP (1980)

A1 - Narrow Feint :- Saturday Night
A2 - Wheelz :- I Can See Everything
B1 - Bantu :- This Time Around
B2 - The Early Bathers :- Impact Adhesive Man


Interesting EP from 4 (out of apparently around 30 hopefuls) New Wave / Post Punk Swindon Bands. (1000 pressed)




Narrow Feint
Jerome Travis (voc lead guitar) ex Justin Case band
Steve Degutis (guitar voc) ex Le Metro*
Malcolm Thorn (bass)
Anton Henley (drums) ex Justin Case band
Pete Morse (ex Justin Case Band) also helped out on bass but is not on this recording.

* More Le Metro stuff here & here & a great interveiw with Jerome & Steve here

Wheelz
Kevin Packer (voc)
Derek Thomas (lead guitar voc)
Tony Gregg (bass voc)
Danny Archer (drums) now in Built For Comfort
Mike Durrant (synth guitar voc)

Bantu
Clarry Bean (voc) now
Tony Knill (lead guitar voc)
Leigh Bruin (rhythm guitar)
Steve Long (bass)
Peter O'Driscoll (drums voc) now in The Pignose Band

The Early Bathers
Paul Burgess (voc bass) ex Jelly Tots
Mick Winning (guitars) ex Jelly Tots
with thanks to
Stratofortess (drum machine)
Johnny Stephens later in Meat Beat Manifesto
Kev Read

There's an interveiw with Mick, Paul & Mick (?) here

The tracks were recorded at the 4 Track "Redbrick Studio" [which was built in the basement of the Swindon Town Hall] during January 1980
The EP was produced by Dave James (You can see him being interviewed about the release here) & had its official release on April 1st with all four bands playing at the Brunel Rooms. (each having a 30 minute slot).

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?v8295gpi0qj7949

Dealer - On The Street (1981)

b/w - Give You My love

Nice, if not a little bit whimsical; 60's flavoured powerpop / pop rock from this (I'm guessing) Leeds based band.

Another 45 I know next to nothing about.

Both sides are credited to

Butler,
Pullan,
Butler,
Davies,

were recorded at Leeds Ric Rac Studios & are on the Luggage Label (which to tell the truth is why I picked this up. See here for the reason)

If anyone has some info please leave a comment

Sounds & scans below

http://www.mediafire.com/?rs1tg0ifoas38as

Ada Wilson And Keeping Dark - Head In The Clouds (1980)

b/w - It Doesn't Have To Be

Great Mod /Powerpop from the Ex frontman of "Strangeways"

The lad from Wakefield was helped out on the record by

Steve Smith (Bass)
Pete Morton AKA Peter "Ringo" Higginbottom (Drums)
Ian Nelson (Alto Sax)

Both Steve & Pete were Ex "Just Frank" Pete also having been in Strangeways with Ada.

The 45 was produced by Gough Snape AKA Mike Switzerland AKA Rob Worby

If you like this, there was an earlier 45 (In The Quiet Of My Room / I'm In Control Here - Ellie Jay [1979] & re-released on Barn records [1980]) - Be warned this 45 is more experimental.

He had also been part of Tattoo Hosts Vision On who released quite an interesting LP in 1980

Head in the Clouds was also included on The Hicks From the Sticks Compilation (1980) - as was Gough Snapes (The Distributors) T.V. Me.

In The Quiet Of My Room was also re-recorded in 1984 & released on Thin Sliced Records

Useless Info - Ada Wilson claims that he inspired 'Brass in pocket' by the Pretenders.

Sounds & scans below

Sorry No Download - I've been "asked" to take it down