The Rebel Pebbles - 1991 - Girls Talk

The Rebel Pebbles formed in Los Angeles in 1989 and consisted of singer Rachel Murray, guitarist Karen Blankfeld, bassist Robin Fox and drummer Cheryl Bullock.
Rachel Murray met Karen Blankfeld - who had previously played drums for The Pandoras, and bass for Wednesday Week - through a newspaper ad.
Rachel signed on as the singer of the fledgling band, and along with Cheryl Bullock on drums and Robin Barnetti on bass, The Rebel Pebbles were ready for the world. They began playing gigs around LA and recorded a 3 song cassette-only EP for their own Teatime Records label, called Party Time. The Rebel Pebbles would replace the band's original bassist Robin Barnetti with Robin Fox following the release of Party Time, but the EP would do its job admirably by getting the Rebel Pebbles noticed.
Dream Lover would peak at a respectable number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100; however, the two follow-ups failed to break into the top 40.
The pressures of the constant touring built up and lead to troubles within the group. Bassist Robin Fox left the band citing musical differences, and was replaced by Margaret Ford, who fit in nicely with the band but who never actually signed on. Margaret was replaced by Leigh Cadwalleter, although there were to be no recording sessions with this final Rebel Pebbles' line-up. Commitment dwindled, and the band folded. The Rebel Pebbles had a compelling style, but they were unable to gain an individual identity. Perhaps in the final analysis, the Pebbles were simply not allowed to just be themselves and create the great music they were undoubtedly capable of creating beyond their first effort. (John Harp's Audiophile Reference Site)

Tracks:

Dream Lover / How Do You Feel? / Girls Talk / Anthony's Attic / Toy Soldier / No More Crying / Groovy Love / Without You / Eskimo And Butterfly / Elaphant's Revenge / Wild Weekend

The Rebel Pebbles - Girls Talk
Password: PVAcblog

Bitrate: 320

The Lambrettas - 1980 - Beat Boys In The Jet Age

England in the summer of 1979 meant MOD: the Lambrettas formed near the south coast city of Brighton. The original members were: Jez Bird (vocals/guitar), Doug Sanders (guitar/vocals), Mark Ellis (bass), and Paul Wincer (drums).
The band played various venues around England, until being spotted by Elton John’s Rocket Records label. A Rocket album featuring a number of new and unknown artists included the Lambrettas first recording, Go Steady. By the end of 1979, Rocket decided to release the Lambrettas track as a single. By the early part of 1980, Go Steady had sold modestly, but with enough interest to persuade Rocket to sign the band.
The next release was a cover of the 1950s Lieber/Stoller song, Poison Ivy, previously recorded most notably by The Coasters and The Rolling Stones. The Lambrettas version, with brass arrangements, had a decidedly upbeat “ska” feel to it. The record was a huge success, reaching #7 in the British charts, and earning the band a silver disc.
The next single, Da-a-a-nce, was more typical of the band’s pop/rock sound, reaching #12 in the charts. Controversy occurred when they were about to release another cut from their debut album, Beat Boys In The Jet Age. At the last moment, the song, Page 3, had to be re-titled for single release as Another Day, Another Girl, after a court injunction by the Sun newspaper. The record was moderately successful. Towards the end of 1980, with Beat Boys doing well, the band went on a European tour, opening for the highly acclaimed band, Madness. (The ModPopPunk Archives)

Tracks:

D-a-a-ance / Cortina MK II / London Calling / Poison Ivy / Leap Before You Look / Beat Boys In The Jet Age / Page Three / Living For Today / Watch Out I'm Back / Don't Push Me / Runaround / Face To Face

The Lambrettas - Beat Boys In The Jet Age

Password: PVAcblog
Bitrate: 320

Note: I've seen this album in other blogs, but it has been encoded with a poorer bitrate and not includes the artworks. The file includes the complete original vinyl artworks and inserts.

Plan 9 - 1982 - Frustration

Outside of its art college, Rhode Island hasn't exactly been a storehouse for modern rock music. But the state has a group to be proud of in Plan 9, whose Frustration is exciting garage psychedelia. The swirling, mesmerizing effect of four (!) guitars recalls the best of the late '60s and gives able support to Eric Stumpo's emotional vocals. There are no original songs here, just covers of period gems like Them's "I Can Only Give You Everything." (Trouser Press: Charles P. Lamey/Ira Robbins)

Members:

Eric Stumpo - lead vocals, guitar / Deborah De Marco - organ / John DeVault - guitar / Tom Champlin - guitar / Evan Williams - guitar / Michael Ripa - vocals, tambourine / John Florence - bass / Michael Meehan - drums

Tracks:

Can't Stand This Love, Goodbye / How Many Times / I Can Only Give You Everything / I'm Not Therev / Move / Flashback / Frustration

Plan 9 - Frustration

Password: PVAcblog
Bitrate: 320

V.A. - 1996 - Any Time, Any Wave II

Second and last delivery of this series dedicated to cover classics of the new wave era.
Finally Rock Indiana released a new version of both compilations titled Any Time, Any Wave Vol. 1+2 plus with only 18 songs available at the company site or here.

Tracks and bands:

Who Hit John - I Don't Like Mondays (Boomtown Rats) / Imposibles - Oliver's Army (Elvis Costello) / Los Brujos - Hoy En Día Es Fácil Ser Féliz (Buzcocks) / Shambels - Does Stephanie Know (Squire) / Mop Tops - Rock And Roll Girl (Paul Collin's Beat) / Gamma Men - London Boys (Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers) / Jalla Jalla - Love Song (Damned) / Wakes - My Baby's Book (Real Kids) / Pyramidiacs - Paper Dolls (Jack Lee) / Malditos - Another Girl, Another Planet (Only Ones) / Feedbacks - Forever Yours (Romantics) / Sunday Crime - Do, Do, Do, Da, Da, Da (Police) / Malconsejo - Amoreux Solitaires (Lio)

V.A - Any Time, Any Wave II

Password: PVAcblog
Bitrate: 320

V.A. - 1995 - Any Time, Any Wave

Any Time, Any Wave was the first compilation released by Rock Indiana with covers of bands like THE KNACK, THE CLASH, THE JAM, GRUPPO SPORTIVO, PAUL COLLINS, PLIMSOULS..., new wave and punk jewels played by the best spanish indie bands, LOS PROTONES, VANCOUVERS, BERRACOS, BANDOGS, THE CREPITOS...

Tracks and bands:

Protones - Your number or your name (The Knack) / The Crepitos - Garageland (The Clash) / Hermanos Dalton - (What´s So Funny ´bout) Peace, Love And Understanding (Elvis Costello) / Berracos - Situation (Slaughter And The Dogs) / Heartbeats - How Long Will It Take ! (Plimsouls) / Monotors - All Over The World (Paul Collin´s Beat) / Helio - Between You And Me (Graham Parker) / Bandogs - All Kindsa Girls (Real Kids) / Happy Losers - Man In The Corner Shop (The Jam) / Radio 77 - Kamikhazi (Professionals) / Vancouvers - Tempted (Squeeze) / Los Vivos - Heart Of The City (Nick Lowe) / Day Friends - Ramford Girls (Riff Raff) / Aneurol 50 - Blah Blah Magazine (Gruppo Sportivo) / Shock Treatment - She Could Be The One (Jossie Cotton)

V.A - Any Time, Any Wave

Password: PVAcblog
Bitrate: 320

Peter Case - As Far You Can Get Without A Passport (New Book)

FYI- Peter Case will be giving a book talk and signing on his book "As Far as you Can get Without a Passport" at the West Hollywood Library.

Date: Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 7 pm.

Address: 715 N. San Vicente Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069.

Event is Free!

Peter Case's site

Submitted by "pocahontess".

V.A. - 1998 - Guía Esencial De La Nueva Ola Española

Guía Esencial de la Nueva Ola Española (Essential Guide To The Spanish New Wave) was an lp and cd (out of print) released at the same time as the publication of an eponymous book written by Fito Feijoo, Pablo Carrero and Pepe Palau.
It's a review to some of the best songs of Spanish New Wave bands, played by indie bands of the 90's.
Including excellent power pop bands like "Los Protones", "Happy Losers", "Feedbacks", "Malconsejo" or "Mineralwater", it's an essential tribute to those bands that relaunched the Spanish musical scene that until then had been sunk in the absolute mediocrity, except for rare exceptions.

Tracks and bands:

LOS PROTONES - Rompeolas (Radio Futura) / MR. SNOID - La Estrella (Los Auténticos) / MALDITOS - En Otra Dimensión (Alaska y los Pegamoides) / HEARTBEATS - Alta Tensión (Nacha Pop) / HAPPY LOSERS - Un Nuevo Color (Mamá) / DUN Y JOSEMA DALTON - Loca Por Mí (Los Secretos) / FEEDBACKS - Me debo marchar (Los Elegantes) / MALCONSEJO - Metadona (Los Pistones) / LOS GRANDES - En Pimer Plano (Los Modelos) 8/ THE YELLOW MELODIES - No Me Imagino (Los Secretos) / MINERALWATER - Enamorado De La Moda Juvenil (Radio Futura)

V.A. - Guía Esencial De La Nueva Ola Española

Password: PVAcblog
Bitrate: 320

Microdisney: Crooked Mile (1987) + 39 Minutes (1988) + The Peel Sessions Album (1989)

Microdisney began recording in their native town of Cork, Ireland, producing a muted, heavily melodic, atmospheric sound. Their first few singles, including 1983's "Pink Skinned Man" were produced by Dave Feeley and released on small indie labels like Kabuki. After relocating to London, they signed to Rough Trade and tapped John Porter (producer of The Smiths) to produce their debut album, Everybody's Fantastic. At this time the band became acquainted with John Peel, who championed their music and gave them the first of several Peel Sessions. Soon after, bassist Jon Fell and drummer Tom Fenner were added as a permanent rhythm section. Microdisney's sound gradually became more commercial and chart oriented, as heard on their 1985 release, The Clock Comes Down the Stairs, and its corresponding single "Birthday Girl." Despite this stylistic shift, Coughlan's lyrics grew increasingly sardonic and scathing. "Town to Town" (1986) is a rock-along sing song about yuppies attempting to live normal lives amid a nuclear holocaust, while their 1987 single "Singer's Hampstead Home" is often described as an attack on Boy George (of Culture Club fame) and the media circus that surrounded his post Culture Club years. In 1988, with chart success and mainstream acceptance having continually eluded them, Microdisney disbanded.
Like many bands who may otherwise have gone completely unrecognised, Microdisney were given a wider audience by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel.
During their career recorded for Kabuki, Rough Trade and Virgin record labels. Albums included the early compilation We Hate You South African Bastards! (later renamed Love Your Enemies), Everybody Is Fantastic and The Clock Comes Down The Stairs. After signing to Virgin Records they released two more albums Crooked Mile and 39 Minutes. The Clock Comes Down the Stairs was voted no. 1 album of the 1980s in the 1989 end-of-year edition of the Irish newspaper The Sunday Tribune.
They disbanded in 1988, with Coughlan forming The Fatima Mansions and O'Hagan forming The High Llamas, retaining Jon Fell. Post break up two further compilations were issued of previously released material - Big Sleeping House—a Collection of Microdisney's Finest Moments, and the Peel Sessions which has most of their collected BBC John Peel sessions apart from the last one.

Crooked Mile tracks:

Town To Town / Angels / Our Children / Mrs Simpson / Hey Hey Sam / Give Me All Of Your Clothes / Armadillo Man / Bullwhip Road / And He Descended Into Hell / Rack / Big Sleeping House / People Just Want To Dream.

39 Minutes tracks:

Singer's Hampstead Home / High And Dry / Send Herman Home / Ambulance For One / Soul Boy / Back To The Old House / United Colours / Gale Force Wind / Herr Direktor / Bluerings

The Peel Sessions tracks:

Sun / Moon / Dreaming Drains / Everybody Is Dead / A Friend With A Big Mouth / Teddy Dogs / Before Famine / Genius / Loftholdingswood / Horse Overboard / 464 / Town To Town / Bullwhip Road / Begging Bowl

Microdisney - Crooked Mile
Part 1 / Part 2
Microdisney - 39 Minutes
Microdisney - The Peel Sessions Album
Part 1 / Part 2

Password: PVAcblog
Bitrate: 320

Personal Column: Recordings 1982-86 (2005) + Strictly Confidential 12" (1984)

Personal Column were a Liverpool band, functioning from 1980-1986 (emerging somewhere between the Crucial Three and Frankie in the chronology of Liverpool bands), based around the songwriting of Marc Vormawah and Colin Brown. Big favourites of John Peel, they did three sessions for his show, as well as sessions for Kid Jenson and Simon Bates. There were records as well: two singles on the band's own Contrast label, and one on Stiff.
Recordings 1982-86 is the Personal Column album that never was.
You can download it song by song from the band website or in an only file from this blog.
The difference: I've normalized the songs to 0 db's (with the same bitrate of the original files -over VBR 160-) and I've did artworks for cd box in jpeg format.
I've ripped Strictly Confidential 12" from the original vinyl (Bitrate 320) with the spanish original artworks.

If you listen to any of these, please tell them what you think of the songs: they're not charging you for them, so think of the contact as the price of the tracks? The Guest Book is here.

Personal Column website.

Strictly Confidential 12" tracks:

Strictly Confidential (Radio Version) / Strictly Confidential (Long Mix) / Here's Looking At You / Strictly Confidential (Dub)

Personal Column - Recordings 1982-86
Personal Column - Strictly Confidential 12"

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