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)

I Feel You Slipping Away

Today's random pick is Wheels Over Indian Trails by Stanton Miranda aka, er, Miranda Stanton, perhaps better known for her collaborations with Carter Burwell as Thick Pigeon.

 

Wheels Over Indian Trails was originally released in May 1986 as a single on Factory Benelux which, as you may have guessed, was the Belgian counterpart of the legendary Factory label founded by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus and home to, amongst many others, Joy Division and New Order.

The JD/NO connection doesn't end there. Gillian Gilbert and Stephen Morris perform on the record, as does Gillian's sister Kim, who was also a member of Thick Pigeon. The single was co-produced by film producer Michael Shamberg, Factory and New Order's "eyes and ears" in the United States, and remixed by John Robie, who had reworked Sub-Culture the previous year.

A quick trip to YouTube has revealed that an official video was commissioned for Wheels Over Indian Trails. A lot of it is Miranda playing in the wardrobe and video effects sandbox, with a few visual motifs that later appeared in New Order videos. It's a very lo-fi 80s video and all the better for it.

The vinyl 12" single is on offer on Discogs for a seemingly reasonable starting price of under six quid...until you have a proper look and factor in shipping charges. The sole copy available from a UK seller for example will set you back £35.50, all in.

Digital copies are available at a much more reasonable price. The dub mix on the B-side of the 7" and 12" single is featured on the excellent 2012 compilation, Trevor Jackson presents Metal Dance Industrial/Post-Punk/EBM: Classics & Rarities '80-'88.

 
At the same time as launching Factory Benelux in 1980, Michel Duval and Annik Honoré also co-founded Les Disques Du Crépuscule with artist Benoît Hennebert. The label has been reissuing much of it's back catalogue via Bandcamp this year and in March offered up the 2021 Thick Pigeon compilation Subway (Singles).  The 12" mix of Wheels Over Indian Trails is included as a bonus track. 

 
 
Not an obvious song to cover, but in January 2023, French Radio Constellation gave it a go. A largely faithful reproduction, it's worth a look just to see the video of dancing bats.

If you like that, French Radio Constellation currently have another 222 releases available on Bandcamp. 

Speaking of cover versions, and to bring this post full circle, in 1995 Stanton Miranda covered Love Will Tear Us Apart for a Joy Division tribute album. The video weaves visual excerpts from Wheels Over Indian Trails with clips and photos of (mostly) Ian Curtis and, bizarrely, it kind of works. As does the song. And the pause at 2:40 is just brilliant.

Decade I: 1980

Side 1 of a cassette compilation, recorded 3rd February 1990.

 

In 2023, Toby Roberts dreamed of competing in the 2024 Olympics, qualifying in October and yesterday bringing home gold with an incredible boulder and lead performance, aged 19.

In 1990, 19-year old me dreamed of girls, music and getting away from the UK. As Meat Loaf once over emoted on vinyl, two out of three ain't bad. My love life was at least consistent: mostly short-lived or unrequited. But...I did eventually get away from the UK later that year, a life-changing solo experience in Australia. Gold Coast rather than a gold medal, but good enough for me.

And my relationship with music has sustained me through the years, never letting me down. Well, apart from that Simple Minds headline gig at the Ashton Court Festival in Bristol, but nothing's perfect, right?

So, as 1989 turned into 1990 I had the notion of doing a themed series of cassette compilations, looking back at the previous decade. Five C90s, one year per side, 12 songs apiece. 

I had a growing record collection by that time, mostly vinyl and cassettes, with a few CDs creeping in. I also had access to my brother's vinyl - he'd gone to uni in Bournemouth and left most of behind with my parents - and my friend Stuart's collection, to plug any gaps in my 'wants' list.

1980 is inevitably a cracking selection, if I say so myself, as there was so much good music to choose from. Pretty much all of these came from my own records, the only exceptions being Martha & The Muffins (my brother's copy of Metro Music) and Talking Heads and U2, borrowed from Stuart.

And yes, I accept that Once In A Lifetime wasn't released in the UK as a single until January 1981. However, in those pre-internet years, I went by the P&C year stated on the back sleeve and labels. Remain In Light said 1980, so that was good enough for me. I subsequently found that the info printed on records were often unreliable in this regard. in this case, I'm happy to confirm that Remain In Light came out in October 1980. Yippee, me.

A strong opener to the series, then. Could I sustain it? 

You won't have long to find out...

 

1) Messages (10" Version): O.M.D.

2) Fade To Grey (Dance Mix Edit): Visage

3) Echo Beach (Album Version): Martha & The Muffins

4) Once In A Lifetime (Album Version): Talking Heads

5) Call Me (Theme From American Gigolo) (Single Version): Blondie

6) Do It Clean (Single Version): Echo & The Bunnymen

7) Independence Day (Album Version): The Comsat Angels

8) Israel (Single Version): Siouxsie & The Banshees

9) Love Will Tear Us Apart (Album Version): Joy Division

10) My Perfect Cousin (Album Version): The Undertones

11) A Day Without Me (Album Version): U2

12) Being Boiled (Album Version): The Human League

23rd March 1980: Metro Music (#10): 3

20th April 1980: Call Me EP (#1): 5 

11th May 1980: Holiday 80 EP (#56): 12 *

11th May 1980: Hypnotised (#9): 10 

15th June 1980: Messages EP (#13): 1

13th July 1980: Waiting For A Miracle (# n/a): 7 **

20th July 1980: Love Will Tear Us Apart EP (#13): 9

24th August 1980: Boy (# n/a): 11 

5th October 1980: The Puppet / Do It Clean EP (# n/a): 6

30th November 1980: Israel EP (#41): 8 

1st February 1981: Visage (#8): 2 ***

1st March 1981: Remain In Light (#14): 4 ****

Side One (46:12) (GD) (M)

 

* Being Boiled was re-released on the back of The Human League's chart success and peaked at #6 in January 1982.  

** Neither single nor album troubled the UK charts in 1980, but a re-recorded version of Independence Day made it to #71 in January 1984 

*** Fade To Grey first entered the UK singles chart on 14th December 1980

**** Remain In Light entered the UK album chart on 26th October 1980 and that, M'lud, is my sole defence!

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)

Diving For More Pearls

Side 2 of a CD-R compiled by Atom Boy @ Metropolis Studios, Shizuoka, Japan, for me and Mrs. K in November 2004.

 

The second half of a rather brilliant compilation that we received as a gift in the winter of 2004. Six months later, Mrs. K and I spent a mind-blowing and unforgettable month in Japan, solely focused on the largest island Honshu, taking in Tokyo, Nara, Osaka, Kyoto and Hirsohima, amongst many other places. As part of the trip, we spent a week with Atom Boy and Atom Girl, who lived in Shizuoka not far from Mount Fuji. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many reasons, packed with happy memories.

Side 2 of Diving For Pearls if anything ups the ante. Pink Industry's exhortation to throw "Morrissey in the bin" has appeared on one of my previous mixtapes, which I'm surprised to find I haven't yet posted here. I love Pink Industry's album New Beginnings, which features What I Wouldn't Give, and various tracks frequently populated my cassette compilations in the mid- to late-1980s.

Seamlessly flowing into The Smiths, the first album of theirs I bought was the Hatful Of Hollow compilation on cassette, so the radio sessions of several songs have remained the definitive versions for me. The version of Back To The Old House recorded for John Peel's show is sublime and a clear example of Johnny Marr's musical brilliance, coupled perfectly with the Manchester Racist's lyrical skill.

In an another obvious-but-it-works pairing, This Mortal Coil with Elizabeth Fraser covering Tim Buckley is followed by another song they covered on debut album It'll End In Tears, namely Another Day by Roy Harper. I don't think I'd heard the latter until receiving this compilation. Elizabeth Fraser's version is indelibly etched in my memory but Roy Harper's is beautiful and disturbing in it's own right. 

As for the final two songs, I'd be hard pressed to think of a better way to close this collection than with The Clash and Joy Division, whether in it's current incarnation as a two-sided compilation or in it's original 20-song, 80-minute mix as Atom Boy intended.

One of my favourite selections, full stop.

 

1) What I Wouldn't Give (Album Version): Pink Industry (1985)

2) Back To The Old House (John Peel Session): The Smiths (1983)

3) Gather All The Hours: Heidi Berry (1989)

4) Happiness Is Easy (Album Version): Talk Talk (1986)

5) Song To The Siren (Cover of Tim Buckley): This Mortal Coil ft. Elizabeth Fraser (1984)

6) Another Day (Album Version): Roy Harper (1970)

7) Maria: David Sylvian (1987)

8) Listening Wind: Talking Heads (1980)

9) Straight To Hell (Album Version): The Clash (1982)

10) Atmosphere (Sordide Sentimental Single Version): Joy Division (1979)

 

Side Two (41:35)