Leftover Sprouts

A selection of Prefab Sprout's TV appearances, circa 1985 to 1990, to brighten your day. 

I'd like to say that this was all planned as a (slightly belated) celebration of Martin McAloon's 63rd birthday on Saturday (4th), but I only realised this when putting together the links for this post. Apologies, Martin, wishing you all the best and thanks for keeping Prefab Sprout's music alive (and live)!

The feast starts off with Paddy McAloon busking The King of Rock ’n’ Roll before it segues to a full band studio performance, then cuts back and forth between the two (visually in the main) before a live wrap up of sorts. 

The other notable things, apart from the brilliant songs and songwriting, is Paddy's variety of grooming and wardrobe choices. I don't remember seeing Prefab Sprout on TV much at the time, apart from the occasional video or Top Of The Pops performance, but it's fascinating to see which Paddy you're going to get.

The bearded look with aviator glasses adorned the sleeve of the Steve McQueen album, but Paddy really rocks it in a live setting, even with the added distraction of Bob Carolgees and Tony Slattery. However, I've never seen the 'tache and linen suit look adopted for the TV promotions for Hey Manhattan before now. And of course 1988's floppy 'curtains' look was surely the inspiration for Shaun Ryder's finest moment a couple of years later.

Wendy Smith is consistently cool throughout, though the performance of Appetite on Italian TV places her so far stage right that she's virtually in the wings. That's a weird one, all round. As is the French TV promo for Cars And Girls, with an introductory link that comes across like an episode of Mind Your Language with the presenter announcing "Prefab Sprooot"!

And Neil Conti just seems to be having the best time, beaming smiles, whatever the show, setting or country. What a guy!

1) The King of Rock ’n’ Roll (Wired, Channel 4, UK) (1988)
2) When Love Breaks Down (Hold Tight, ITV, UK) (1985)
3) Hey Manhattan (Dimanche Martin, Antenne 2, France) (1989)
4) Johnny Johnny (The Tube, Channel 4, UK) (1986)
5) Cars and Girls (unknown show, France) (1988)

6) Looking for Atlantis (Wogan, BBC, UK) (1990)

7) Appetite (unknown show, Italy) (1986)

I posted another set of Prefab Sprout in June last year, none of which are repeated here, so pop on over if you want further visual treats.

I've also reactivated links to Paddy McAloon's Shorts, the 2-sided Dubhed Selection that I originally posted in September 2021. You can find it here.

 

 

 

 

You Surely Are A Truly Gifted Kid

Happy birthday to Paddy McAloon, born 7th June 1957. 

 

Bucking the accidental theme of this week's posts, Paddy hasn't released or performed music for a long time, but when you consider the music he has gifted us, it would be ungracious to complain.

I received the Prefab Sprout album Steve McQueen as a Christmas present in 1985, having already bought the Faron Young 12" single that summer and both changed my perspective on what pop music was and could be. Moving The River was a standout amongst standout songs on the album.

Prefab Sprout scored a long deserved smash hit single with The King Of Rock 'n' Roll and follow up album From Langley Park To Memphis in 1988. Cars And Girls, Paddy's tribute to Bruce Springsteen, was the single that preceded it and whilst not as big a hit is one of the finest songs he's ever written...and that's really saying something.

On 20th June, it'll be 24 years since Prefab Sprout played their last concert together, at the Fleadh festival in London. It's a gorgeously sunny day and this might just be the most wonderful yet bittersweet 13 minutes you'll experience today.

Another classic from Steve McQueen popped up on social media recently in the most unexpected places. Here's Seal performing Bonny at the BeachLife Festival on Redondo Beach in California last month. It's a beautifully understated version, seal letting Paddy's superlative songwriting do all the heavy lifting. A surprise and a delight.

I haven't created a new selection for today's post, but I have reactivated one that I posted back in September 2021, imaginatively titled Paddy McAloon's Shorts.

 

Have a great day, Paddy, with lots of love and thanks for the songs that you've shared with you.

Another Happy Jolly Tape Thing

Side 2 of a mixtape, recorded sometime in 1992 for my then-girlfriend.

 

We went on a couple of camping holidays, the first of which was a return to Bowleaze Cove in Weymouth where my parents used to keep a static caravan for several years. There's a photo in a dusty album somewhere of me as a baby, having a bath in the caravan's tiny sink. I suspect I looked as bemused as I do now. 

 

We also used the take the cat with us, which seems bizarre in retrospect, but I guess we just didn't have the money to afford the luxury of a cattery for a week. I remember one trip where the cat hadn't returned from their daily patrol on our last day and we were actually driving (albeit very slowly) along the track out of the holiday park, windows open, shouting their name, when they suddenly appeared at the top of the hill, racing down to join us. I don't think my parents really would have left without the cat...would they? The cat was named Sacha, after the popular French singer, although my folks had never shown any particular fondness for his music. Parents are weird like that.

 

We swapped a caravan for a tent in 1992. I hadn't admitted to my girlfriend that I'd actually done very little camping at this point in my life and putting up a tent almost proved to be beyond my capabilities. Relatively early in our relationship, she may not have experienced quite the level of expletives that undoubtedly burst forth as I took about four times longer to get the darn tent up and staying up than any other complete novice.

 

Little had changed in the decade and a half since I'd last visited Weymouth, not least the shift from pebble (& tar) beach at the Bowleaze Cove end to golden sand as you got further along the promenade and into town. At the far end of the beach, before the pavilion and pier, the sand sculptor was still at work, creating scenes and still life art to wow and delight. We ventured into town to the fishmongers, sampling jellied eels (still disgusting) and whelks. All in all, a great few days away and some happy new memories to treasure. 

 

I've been back a couple more times since with Clan K and whilst the town and seafront have experienced more dramatic changes - and the beach-based sand sculptures have now moved slightly inland and upscaled to become Sandworld - we have had a great time, each time.

I like to think that Happy Jolly Tape Thing was playing on the drive from Bristol to Weymouth and home again, back in 1992. It's certainly chock full of travelling, sing-a-long tunes from Depeche Mode, Primal Scream, Talking Heads and Prefab Sprout. The Undertones are the only act to appear on both sides of the cassette, whilst my girlfriend was a huge fan of The Smiths and liked The Doors, although I think that was more to do with Jim Morrison in leather trousers than their music in particular.

Tacked onto the end of the compilation was a hidden track that played out following the closing seconds of the final song on Adam & The Ants' 1981 album, Prince Charmng. Sounds of waves lapping on a beach, guitar strums and a 'wimoweh' refrain, what better way to end, then and now?

 

1) Boom! There She Was (Sonic Property Mix By Steve Thompson & Michael Barbiero) (UK Edit): Scritti Politti ft. Roger Troutman (1988)

2) (Keep Feeling) Fascination (Extended Version): The Human League (1983)

3) The Meaning Of Love (Single Version): Depeche Mode (1982)

4) Movin' On Up (Album Version By Jimmy Miller): Primal Scream (1991)

5) Tell All The People: The Doors (1969)

6) Road To Nowhere (Album Version): Talking Heads (1985)

7) Downtown ('Shag Times' Album Version): The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu (1988)

8) It's Going To Happen! (Album Version): The Undertones (1981)

9) Faron Young (Truckin' Mix By Thomas Dolby): Prefab Sprout (1985)

10) Ask: The Smiths (1985)

11) Streets Of Your Town (Album Version): The Go-Betweens (1988)

12) untitled: Adam & The Ants (1981)

 

Side Two (46:55) (Box) (Mega)

Side One here

Return To The Valley Of Kissing The Mix

Side 1 of a mixtape, compiled 21st April 2000. It's back to the 80s indie-not-indie disco time with another eight twelve inch hits and misses. 

Starting off with Prefab Sprout and Paddy McAloon's love song to the Big Apple. A wonderful song, Hey Manhattan! had the thankless task of being the follow up single to The King Of Rock 'n' Roll, their first (and only) Top 10 hit in the UK, reaching #7. Hey Manhattan! also had a '7' in it's highest chart placing. Unfortunately, that '7' was #72. It deserved better.

 

Lloyd Cole & The Commotions fared better, reaching #17 with Lost Weekend, two places higher than previous single Brand New Friend and, it turns out, Lloyd's biggest UK single success, with or without The Commotions.

Howard Devoto followed up Magazine and a solo album with Luxuria, a partnership with Norman Fisher-Jones aka Noko. After two albums and a handful of singles, the pair worked again, Devoto writing lyrics for songs on Apollo 440's debut album and Noko later joining the reformed Magazine in 2009. The 12" of Redneck was a beautiful thing, the vinyl single housed in an embossed brown cardboard sleeve. 

I really liked China Crisis' first album but didn't get any of the follow ups until well into the 21st century. I did go back and buy the 12" singles in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Hanna Hanna wasn't a particular favourite as a single, but the extended mix won me over. It's only when I looked up the lyrics and listened more closely to the song that Gary Daly snuck in the F-bomb with the verse,

 

"We're living on a catwalk, catwalk
And swimming with the sharks
Biting into poison, poison
In a city all full of fucking sharks"

 

Naughty Gary, wash your mouth out with soap. If you're quick, you can catch up with the rather wonderful Imaginary Compilation Album of ten China Crisis gems over at The Vinyl Villain. So good that Martin, who collated the collection, didn't even need to include this song. 

 

By 1984, Wang Chung (formerly Huang Chung) were a core duo of Jack Hues and Nick Feldman and were enjoying greater success on the other side of the pond. Wait was taken from the soundtrack to the film To Live And Die In L.A., starring William Peterson and Willem Dafoe. Depending on which 12" single you bought, the 12" version featured here was variously known as Wait (Special U.K. Remix), Wait (Extended Dance Remix) or just plain Wait (Remix).  

 

If, like me, you knew Kissing The Pink for their 1983 UK Top 20 pop noir single The Last Film, their return as SAW-affiliated pure popsters was a bit of a surprise. Thankfully, no sign of Stock, Aitken or Waterman on the mix here and Phil Harding did have form remixing the likes of Nitzer Ebb and Depeche Mode. Personally, I enjoyed the run of singles from this period, but neither this musical volte face or a rebranding as KTP changed their chart fortunes in the UK. We're an unforgiving lot who dislike change, I guess...!

 

I'll put it straight out there: if you want to hear the definitive version of Bedbugs And Ballyhoo by Echo & The Bunnymen, then head straight to the B-side of Bring On The Dancing Horses. They re-recorded the song with The Doors' Ray Manzarek at the controls and keyboard. It's good but it's a bit like gilding the lily in my opinion. Being a sucker for an extended remix however, when I was on a family holiday in Florida in 1988 and snuck off to find a record shop, my haul included this 5-track 12" single. Ivan Ivan's a fairly safe pair of hands and he does a fairly decent job on this.

In the week that Depeche Mode announce their return with a new single, Ghosts Again, See You is a nice reminder of their melancholic pop days. The video, directed by Julien Temple, is a pretty cute narrative and a reminder of how much of a social focal point the humble photo booth was. My own photo booth collection, though with several losses and gaps over the years, tracks an intriguing narrative of friends, girlfriends and a variety of frankly ill-advised hairstyles. The video is also interesting in that Alan Wilder had clearly come on board slightly too late to be included in the full video. So, it's mostly Gahan, Gore and Fletcher, with a few blink-and-you'll-miss-them cuts to Wilder in a completely different room!

Happy Friday, everyone. 

1) Hey Manhattan! (JFK Version By Tony Phillips): Prefab Sprout (1988)

2) Lost Weekend (Extended Version By Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley): Lloyd Cole & The Commotions (1985)

3) Redneck (Album Version By Gavin MacKillop, Howard Devoto & Noko): Luxuria (1988)

4) Hanna Hanna (Extended Mix By Mike Howlett): China Crisis (1984)

5) Wait (Special U.K. Remix By Stephen Lipson): Wang Chung (1984)

6) Never Too Late To Love You (Kissing The Mix By Mixmaster Phil Harding): Kissing The Pink (1986)

7) Bedbugs And Ballyhoo (Club Remix By Ivan Ivan): Echo & The Bunnymen ft. Ray Manzarek (1988)

8) See You (Extended Version By Daniel Miller & Depeche Mode): Depeche Mode (1982)

 

Side One (46:19) (KF) (Mega) 

Side Two here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phil Good Times

Happy birthday Phil Thornalley, born 5th January 1960.

 

Phil's had an interesting career, to say the least. He started out as a recording engineer aged 18, working with the likes of Steve Lillywhite, Alex Sadkin and Mickie Most. In 1982, Phil produced Pornography, the fourth album by The Cure, subsequently joining the band when Simon Gallup left (the first time). That's Phil's double bass on The Love Cats.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Phil joined Johnny Hates Jazz as lead singer following the departure of founding member Clark Datchler. Oh, and he also co-wrote a song called Torn which became a rather big hit when covered by Natalie Imbruglia in 1997.

I'll confess that I haven't followed Phil's career into the 21st Century, but a a flick through my music collection highlights how many beloved artists he has produced, co-produced, remixed or performed with. This then is a 12-song selection that put a big grin on my face and got me turning up that dial.

Have a good one, Phil!

1) Here Come The Good Times (Album Version By Phil Thornalley): A House (1994)

2) The Yearning Loins (Single Version By Phil Thornalley): Prefab Sprout (1984)

3) Mr. Pink Eyes (Single Version By Phil Thornalley, Chris Parry & The Cure): The Cure (1983)

4) The Greatness And Perfection Of Love (Remixed Version By Stephen Lovell, Phil Thornalley & Stephen Lipson): Julian Cope (1984)

5) Who Knows What Love Is? (Album Version By Phil Thornalley): Strawberry Switchblade (1985)

6) Mack The Knife (Single Version By Phil Thornalley & The Psychedelic Furs) (Cover of Gerald Price): The Psychedelic Furs (1981)

7) Bitter Heart (Extended Mix By Phil Thornalley): Seona Dancing (1983)

8) What Presence?! (Extended Version By Phil Thornalley & Orange Juice): Orange Juice (1984)

9) Girl From Mars (Single Version By Owen Morris & Phil Thornalley): Ash (1995)

10) Kindred Spirit (Re-Recorded Version By Phil Thornalley & Tom Dokoupil): Edwyn Collins (1989)

11) Songs Of Love (Phil Thornalley Remix): The Divine Comedy (1999)

12) C'est La Vie (Single Version By Alex Sadkin & Phil Thornalley): Robbie Nevil (1986)

Phil Good Times (46:09) (Box) (Mega)

Car Trouble

My car's currently sitting in the snow outside my house, where it's been for over a week now. I won't bore you with the full story, but it's out of action and, after a garage inspection and service didn't resolve the issue, I now have to wait until 11th January when the nearest Vauxhall garage, north of Bristol, can take a look. It'll require a recovery vehicle to get it there, with an uncertain but undoubtedly expensive outcome. 

The week has therefore involved some creative efforts to traverse the county for work. Getting to Gloucester (approx. 25 miles away) took the best part of two hours via bus and train (thankfully on the day when they weren't on strike). Yesterday, I was able to work a bit closer to home (approx. 5 miles) which took about an hour, door to door. It was the same driver on the homeward bound journey. At that point he'd already worked seven hours and had another three to go. He told me he'd been doing this for twelve years and had had enough of rude people, delivery drivers blocking the roads whilst dropping off parcels and the godawful snow and ice. I didn't really know what else to say other than to empathise and thank him for getting me home safe and sound.

Things will be difficult - and expensive - this month and next, but I try to keep a sense of perspective. When employees get to the point where they have to go on strike, you know things are bad. And those who are criticising and vilifying the very same people who they clapped every week during the lockdown, shame on you.

 

Back to cars and music, today's selection has taken my sorry, first-world problem as inspiration, offering up 45 minutes of car-related musings. 

 

Adam & The Ants to start with Cartrouble. I've got the original vinyl issue of the Dirk Wears White Sox album on Do-It from 1979 but here I've plumped from the label's cash-in remix and reissue from 1982 on the Antmusic EP, following Adam & co's commercial success on CBS. Do It cannily drafted Chris Hughes - one of the two CBS-era drummers in the band - to remix Cartrouble. Unsurprisingly, the drums are a lot bigger here. I believe the Antmusic 12" split parts 1 & 2 across the two sides of vinyl but I got the unedited version with 2004's expanded CD edition of Dirk...

 

I couldn't resist including 4ft Car from Chris Morris' incredible Blue Jam radio series, later including in a CD of choice sketches released on Warp Records and then recreated for Channel 4's TV series, simply titled Jam. Kevin Eldon is the irate car owner in both, effing and jeffing all the way through. Seemed apt as the duff car in question is a Vauxhall. "Who do they think I am? Fucking Noddy?!" still makes me laugh out loud.

 

(By the way, the music underpinning 4ft Car is Go Faster by Propellerheads, seguing into Day For Night by Moloko).

 

Cars by Gary Numan is of course one of the greatest songs of all time about the motor vehicle and this demo version from 1979 shows that he was bang on it from the start.

 

And the selection had to end with Prefab Sprout. I bought this as a 10" single back in 1988 and it still holds a special place in my heart, 35 years later. Paddy McAloon is a superlative songwriter, but weren't Wendy Smith, Martin McAloon and Neil Conti fantastic also? Given it's the festive season, maybe it's a good time for a Sprout selection...

 

1) Cartrouble, Pts. 1 & 2 (Remixed By Chris Hughes): Adam & The Ants (1982) 

2) Car Crash: TrIcky ft. Costanza Francavilla (2003)

3) In The Back Of Your Car: Client (2005)

4) The Wrong Car (Single Version): The Twilight Sad (2010)

5) Killy Car Thieves (Special Mix): Band Of Holy Joy (1988)

6) 4ft Car: Chris Morris ft. Kevin Eldon (2000)

7) Cars (Demo Version): Gary Numan (1979)

8) Carwreck (Wagon Christ Mix By Luke Vibert): Funki Porcini (1996)

9) Fast Car / Slow Traffic (Erland & The Carnival Carnivalization): Paul Weller (2010)

10) Car: Built To Spill (1994)

11) Cars And Girls (Album Version): Prefab Sprout (1988)

1988: From Langley Park To Memphis: 11

1988: Gigantic! (Melody Maker magazine promo cassette): 5

1994: There's Nothing Wrong With Love: 10

1996: Carwreck EP: 8

2000: Blue Jam: 6

2003: Vulnerable: 2

2004: Dirk Wears White Sox (Expanded Edition): 1

2005: Pornography EP: 3

2009: The Pleasure Principle (30th Anniversary Edition): 7 

2010: Wake Up The Nation/Change Up The Nation (Deluxe Edition): 9

2010: The Wrong Car EP: 4

Car Trouble (45:09) (Box) (Mega)

7 To 10 Inches Longer

Side 2 of a mixtape, originally recorded 5th October 1997, collecting tracks from various 7" and 10" vinyl records, pops and crackles intact on several. Even more than an album or 12" single, there's something special about putting a 7" or 10" single on a turntable and listening to just one or two songs in succession. In the 1980s, music rags like NME, Sounds, Record Mirror and Melody Maker would occasionally tape a free 7" single to the front cover and these were often my first (and sometimes only) experience of an artist's music. 

 

Some tracks inevitably turned up on a subsequent album (Iggy Pop, Tom Waits) or deluxe reissue and/or compilation (The Woodentops, The Jesus & Mary Chain). Some remain rare and wonderful, such as one of the great lost B-sides from Prefab Sprout. The Jack Rubies and Westworld remain highlights, though I bought very little else by either of them afterwards. A quarter of a century on, for such a hotpotch of songs and artists, I quite like this collection as a whole. I hope you do too.

 

1) I Give To You (Elemental) (Remix By Barry Adamson & PK aka Paul Kendall): Nitzer Ebb (I Give To You 10") (1991)

2) Hey! Luciani (Original Version By John Leckie): The Fall (Sounds Showcase 1 7") (1987)

3) Move Me (Long Version) (Remix By Godwin Logie): The Woodentops (Everyday Living ltd 2x 7") (1986) 

4) Hot Meat (Single Version) (aka Coldsweat (Version)): The Sugarcubes (Regina ltd 7") (1989)

5) Vendetta: Prefab Sprout (Cars And Girls 10") (1988)

6) Vegas Throat Stomp: The Jack Rubies (Sonic Sounds 1 7") (1987)

7) F***in' Alone: Iggy Pop (Beside You 10") (1993)

8) Nasty 'n' Cheap (Remix By Mark Ferda): Westworld (Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo ltd 2x 10") (1987)

9) Hallelujah (In Out Mix By Steve Lillywhite): Happy Mondays ft. Kirsty MacColl (Madchester Rave On ltd 7") (1989)

10) Shake: The Jesus & Mary Chain (Happy When It Rains 10") (1987)

11) A Little Rain: Tom Waits (Goin' Out West 10") (1992)

12) Come On Home (Album Version): Everything But The Girl (Come On Home 7") (1986)

Side Two (45:17)

Side One here

Paddy McAloon's Shorts

Please forgive the clumsy punning title, but it does sum up the theme of today's Prefab Sprout selection. 14 songs, spanning their debut single in 1982 through to 2001's seventh album, which was largely made up of material Paddy McAloon had previously given to Jimmy Nail and Cher. These are also the shortest Prefab Sprout songs in my collection (hence the post title), only a couple nudging over the 3 minute mark. Most of these aren't obvious choices when thinking of a Prefab Sprout compilation, but all are tiny reminders of Paddy McAloon's genius as a songwriter and (very) occasional interpreter of other people's songs.

Side One (17:04)

1) Mercy (1990)

2) Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone) (1982)

3) Real Life (Just Around The Corner) (NME Version) (1985)

4) Swans (1997)

5) The Wedding March (1990)

6) Oh, The Swiss! (1985)

7) He'll Have To Go (Cover of Jim Reeves) (1985)

Side Two (16:59)

1) Walk On (1983)

2) Dragons (Originally recorded by Jimmy Nail) (1997)

3) Jesse James Symphony (1990)

4) When You Get To Know Me Better (2001)

5) Spinning Belinda (1984)

6) Where The Heart Is (1997)

7) Blueberry Pies (1985)

 

1982: Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone) EP: A2

1983: The Devil Has All The Best Tunes EP: B1 

1984: Couldn't Bear To Be Special EP: B5

1985: Appetite EP: A6

1985: Drastic Plastic (NME promo 7"): A3

1985: Steve McQueen: B7 

1985: When Love Breaks Down EP: A7

1990: Jordan: The Comeback: A1, A5, B3

1997: Andromeda Heights: A41997: Electric Guitars EP: B2

1997: A Prisoner Of The Past EP: B6 (Theme to the popular ITV series, which ran from 1997-2006)

2001: The Gunman And Other Stories: B4

 

Side One (17:04) (KF) (Mega)

Side Two (16:59) (KF) (Mega)