Everything Happens, Don't Look For Patterns

I've somehow managed to avoid creating a Buzzcocks selection before now and I approached this one with trepidation.

I mean, where do you start? Especially as I wanted one that spanned their early recordings with Howard Devoto in 1976 through to the final album released before Pete Shelley's passing in 2018. And all in 45 minutes, maximum.

This is my valiant attempt, alternating between their 'classic' period (1976-1981) and their 'reformation period' (1989-2014).

Enjoy!

1) Promises (1978)

2) Keep On Believing (2014)

3) Orgasm Addict (No-Remix Demo) (1976)

4) Sell You Everything (2006)

5) Are Everything (1980)

6) Why Compromise? (1999)

7) What Do You Know? (1980)

8) Up For The Crack (2003)

9) Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)? (1978)

10) Totally From The Heart (1996)

11) Strange Thing (1980)

12) Who'll Help Me To Forget? (1993)

13) What Do I Get? (1978)

14) I've Had Enough (2006)

15) Love You More (1978)

16) Your Love (1996)

1978: Love Bites: 9

1978: Love You More EP: 15

1978: Promises/Lipstick EP: 1

1978: What Do I Get? EP: 13

1980: Are Everything EP: 5

1980: Running Free EP: 7

1980: Strange Thing EP: 11

1993: Trade Test Transmissions: 12

1996: All Set: 10, 16

1999: Modern: 6

2000: Time's Up: 3

2003: Buzzcocks: 8

2006: Flat-Pack Philosophy: 4, 14

2014: The Way: 2

Everything Happens, Don't Look For Patterns (44:58) (GD) (M)

If that's whet your appetite for more Pete Shelley, I've reactivated a short selection that I created in 2021 to acknowledge the passing of Sir Clive Sinclair. 

Earlier this year, I also posted a selection of Pete's pop videos, which you can revisit here.

In Amongst The Moshers

January will be a gig-free month for me, so to fill the void I've compiled a imaginary live set featuring some top-notch performances from 1977 to 1979. And imagine the mosh pit!

 

The formidable line-up includes The Fall, Joy Division, Blondie, The Clash, The Specials, Scritti Politti and Magazine with heavyweight appearances from The Police, John Cale and David Bowie.

I even managed to sneak in some John Cooper Clarke.

Enjoy! But no spitting. I don't like spitting.

 

1) Stepping Out (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): The Fall (1977) 

2) Detroit 442 (Live @ The Walnut Theatre, Philadelphia): Blondie (1978)

3) Sabotage (Live @ CBGB, New York): John Cale (1979)

4) Armagideon Time (Live @ Hammersmith Odeon, London): The Clash (1979)

5) Guns Of Navarone (Live @ The Lyceum, London): The Specials (1979)

6) Be My Wife (Live @ Earls Court, London): David Bowie (1978)

7) Persecution Complex (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): The Drones (1977)

8) Tomorrow (Live @ University Of California, Riverside, California): Wall Of Voodoo (1979)

9) Bronze Adonis (Live @ Rafters, Manchester): John Cooper Clarke (1978)

10) Miracle Man (Live @ The Nashville Room, London): Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1977)

11) She Can Only Say No (Live): The Undertones (1979)

12) Art Forever (Live @ Acklam Hall, London): Scritti Politti (1979)

13) Time's Up (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): Buzzcocks (1977)

14) Message In A Bottle (Live @ Park West, Chicago): The Police (1979)

15) At A Later Date (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): Joy Division (1977)

16) Definitive Gaze (Live @ Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester): Magazine (1978)

In Amongst The Moshers (49:49) (KF) (Mega)

Loitering With Intent

The joy of the three-minute pop song in 1978*, however else you want to label it. I missed most of these first time around, as they were B-sides or album tracks, but this music refuses to be denied and at various points in my life have gatecrashed my consciousness and my record collection.

A collection of the usual suspects perhaps though when the songs are this great, is it any surprise? A rollercoaster ride that's over in under 36 minutes but packs a lot in to it's wild ride. Strap in!

* Or, in the case of The Stranglers, the six-minute-plus cover version of a stone cold classic pop song.

The selection includes several songs that appeared in JC's excellent 60 Albums @ 60 series, which revealed All Mod Cons by The Jam at #1. So today's post is dedicated to JC with thanks and love.

1) Friends (John Peel Session): Adam & The Ants

2) Radios In Motion: XTC 

3) Reasons: Skids

4) Action Time Vision: Alternative TV

5) Touch And Go (Single Version): Magazine

6) Just Lust: Buzzcocks

7) Billy Hunt: The Jam

8) Suicide A Go Go: Big In Japan

9) I'm Gonna Love You Too: Blondie

10) Drug-Stabbing Time: The Clash

11) Sand In My Joints (Album Version): Wire

12) Walk On By (Cover of Dionne Warwick): The Stranglers

 

1978: Action Time Vision EP / The Image Has Cracked: 4

1978: All Mod Cons: 7 

1978: Chairs Missing: 11

1978: Charles EP: 3

1978: Ever Fallen In Love... (With Someone You Shouldn't've) EP: 6 

1978: From Y To Z And Never Again EP: 8

1978: Give 'Em Enough Rope: 10

1978: Parallel Lines: 9

1978: Touch And Go: 5

1978: Walk On By EP / Black And White (ltd LP+7"): 12

1978: White Music: 2

1990: The Peel Sessions: 1

 

Loitering With Intent (35:51) (Box) (Mega)

Six Degrees Of The Vinyl Villain

In a double first for this blog, today sees the return of Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon, which proved popular enough last Friday that it inspired one regular visitor to submit their own 'Six Degrees' suggestion. And, in an unplanned but wonderful bit of music blog synchronicity, who better for Dubhed's first ever guest post than JC, whose own blog - the legendary The Vinyl Villain - encouraged and supported my return to music blogging back in 2020?

 

It's not a spoiler alert to say that you're in a for a treat. Without further ado, JC, it's over to you!

 

1) One of the most important punk rock records was the Spiral Scratch EP by Buzzcocks. It proved to be the only release on which the band’s original lead singer Howard Devoto was involved before he left to form a new post-punk band, Magazine.

 

2) Magazine’s debut single was Shot By Both Sides. It aired on Top of the Pops on 16 February 1978 but proved to be the only time Howard Devoto would ever appear on the programme. This was not the case for the song’s co-writer, and Magazine guitarist, John McGeoch, who later became a member of Siouxsie & The Banshees.

 

3) Siouxsie & The Banshees, thanks to having numerous chart hits between 1978 and 1995, got to the TOTP studios on numerous occasions. But prior to this success, their career had gotten underway in September 1976 when they debuted at the 100 Club Punk Festival. Their guitarist on that night, and it proved to be the only gig he played with the Banshees, was Marco Pirroni, who later found fame and fortune as a member of Adam & The Ants.

4) Adam & The Ants was fronted by, surprisingly enough, Adam Ant . He had previously been a member of a band called the B-sides, alongside Andy Warren and Lester Square. While Adam went away to form the Ants and become, among other things, a swashbuckling pirate and dandy highwayman, Andy and Lester joined forces with Bid and John D. Haney to form The Monochrome Set.

 

5) The Monochrome Set have never got beyond cult status despite releasing what is now 16 albums in a more than worthwhile career which is still on the go today. One of their many non-hit singles, from 1993, was Forever Young.

6) Forever Young* was also, coincidentally, the name of a non-hit single by The Comsat Angels in 1987, on which the bass guitar was played by Kevin Bacon. 

 

Note from the editor: JC didn't include a specific playlist so I've taken the liberty of curating a Dubhed selection from the above. A couple of songs and an EP (Magazine, The Comsat Angels and Buzzcocks) were specified so I've included them, whilst tracks 3 & 4 are completely my own choice. Likewise, The Monochrome Set song choice, mainly because I don't have Forever Young in my collection and couldn't track it down in time for this post. I hope you - and especially JC - like the final selection.

 

1) Time's Up (Single Version): Buzzcocks (1977)

2) Shot By Both Sides (Live @ Melbourne Festival Hall, Australia): Magazine (1980) 

3) Happy House (Album Version): Siouxsie & The Banshees (1980)

4) Picasso Visita El Planeta De Los Simios (Album Version): Adam & The Ants (1981)

5) Fun For All The Family: The Monochrome Set (1982)

6) Forever Young: The Comsat Angels (1985)

Six Degrees Of The Vinyl Villain (22:12) (KF) (Mega)

 

Two posts does not a series make, but I have an idea for at least one more post and I welcome further guest suggestions if you feel suitably spurred on by the two offerings so far. Contributions can be emailed to phatdubhed at yahoo dot co dot uk

Normal service will resume tomorrow.

* In another example of blog harmony, Forever Young (and a whole bunch of other single releases) by The Comsat Angels was featured last month on another excellent music blog, My Vinyl Dreams. Get yourself over there right now!

What's The Prediction? I'll Betcha It's Friction!

Listening to the Ramones recently got me digging out more tunes from 1976 to 1978, leading to today's selection, spanning 19 songs and a smidge over 1 hour.

There are perhaps some obvious choices: Ready Steady Go by Generation X, Friction by Television, What Do I Get? by Buzzcocks, The Passenger by Iggy Pop. I've thrown in a few other singles, B-sides and live performances by Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Eater, Protex, Magazine and Joy Division (belated happy 65th birthday for yesterday, Stephen Morris!)

 

I've also included a few choice album tracks by Ramones, The Clash, David Johansen, Talking Heads and Wire. Add to that a handful oddities and 'lost' tunes by Big In Japan, The Scenics and Adam & The Ants (covering Perry Como!) and it's enough to stir this sedentary sequencer of songs.

 

1) Ready Steady Go (Album Version): Generation X (1978)

2) What's Your Game (Album Version): Ramones (1977)

3) Tiny Steps: Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)

4) Thinkin' Of The U.S.A.: Eater (1977)

5) Catch A Falling Star (Unreleased Version) (Cover of Perry Como): Adam & The Ants (1977)

6) Last Gang In Town: The Clash (1978)

7) Confusion: Sparks (1976)

8) Cindy And The Barbi Dolls: Big In Japan (1978)

9) Friction (Album Version): Television (1977)

10) Touch And Go (Live @ Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester): Magazine (1978)

11) At A Later Date (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): Joy Division (1977)

12) In The Sun (Album Version): Blondie (1976)

13) Not That Much: David Johansen (1978)

14) Don't Ring Me Up: Protex (1978)

15) What Do I Get?: Buzzcocks (1978)

16) Stay Hungry (Album Version): Talking Heads (1978)

17) Do The Wait: The Scenics (1977)

18) The Passenger (Album Version): Iggy Pop (1977)

19) Champs: Wire (1977)

1976: Big Beat: 7

1976: Blondie: 12

1977: Leave Home: 2

1977: Lust For Life: 18

1977: Marquee Moon: 9 

1977: Pink Flag: 19

1977: Thinkin' Of The U.S.A. EP: 4

1978: David Johansen: 13 

1978: Don't Ring Me Up EP: 14

1978: From Y To Z And Never Again EP: 8

1978: Generation X: 1

1978: Give 'Em Enough Rope: 6 

1978: More Songs About Buildings And Food: 16

1978: Radio Radio EP: 3

1978: Short Circuit: Live At The Electric Circus: 11 

1978: What Do I Get? EP: 15

2000: Ant Box: 5

2009: Play + (Expanded 2CD Edition): 10

2009: Sunshine World: Studio Recordings 1977-78: 17

What's The Prediction? I'll Betcha It's Friction! (1:01:30)

These Things Elevate Me Above Animals

A headlong rush from 1958-1998, 10 songs, all two minutes or less, lyrically brilliant.

 

1) Adda Lee: Frank Black (1993)

"And the lake sings and the dogs don't, they are quiet for Adda Lee"

2) Phasers On Stun (Single Version): Urusei Yatsura (1996)

"I went walking under the streetlights with my sneakers filled up with snow"

3) Being A Girl (Part One) (Single Version): Mansun (1998)

"I'm so boring my clothes wanna keep someone else warm"

4) My Beautiful Leah: PJ Harvey (1998)

"If I don't find it this time, then I'm better off dead"

5) The King Of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1: Neutral Milk Hotel (1998)

"I sank into your soul, into that secret place where no one dares to go"

6) Summertime Blues: Eddie Cochran (1958)

"I'm gonna take my problem to the United Nations"

7) Talking In The Dark: Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)

"We can talk like we're in love or we can talk above it"

8) Breakdown: Buzzcocks (1977)

"I feel me brain like porridge coming out of me ears"

9) Windout (Outtake): R.E.M. (1984)

"Tick tock time to clock my band"

10) Unsolved Child Murder (Demo): The Auteurs (1996)

"Sod this town and people's pity, let's get on with the nitty gritty"

These Things Elevate Me Above Animals (19:36)

Always Asking Questions?

Why are the weekends so short? This and other pressing questions below, with absolutely no answers whatsoever.

 

1) How Does It Feel? (Cover of Spacemen 3): Piano Magic (1998)

2) Is That You Mo-Dean? (Interdimension Mix By Moby) (New Edit 2002): The B-52's (2002)

3) Why Theory? (Re-Recorded Version): Gang Of Four (2005)

4) What Was Her Name? (Original): Dave Clarke ft. Chicks On Speed (2004)

5) How Many Six Packs Does It Take To Screw In A Light?: American Music Club (1994)

6) Whatever Happened To?: Buzzcocks (1977)

7) Why Can't I Be You? (Album Version): The Cure (1987)

8) Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken? (Demo): Lloyd Cole & The Commotions (1983)

9) Where Do You Go? (Album Version By William Orbit): Beth Orton (1993)

10) Where Is My Mind? (Live @ Les Eurockéennes Festival, Belfort, France, 03 July 2004): Pixies (2004)

11) “Is it art or anti-art?”: The Times (1991)

Always Asking Questions? (36:41)