Random 80's Wednesday

Here's the second part of my La Folie Du Jour tribute.

Other Voices - Another Tuesday (7" Single, 1983)

22 Beaches - Dust (from the compilation cassette Another Spark, 1984)

The Another Spark compilation, an independent release, also included rare music by Microdisney, In Embrace, 1000 Mexicans, Perfect Vision, and many others.

Steve Lake - Life Of Riley (12" Single, 1987)

This is my second post of a Steve Lake track lately. Clearly an overlooked talent. His website is at www.stevelake.co.uk

Datblygu - Tu Allan (from Fi Du, 1984)

I couldn't find the track from the Datblygu single referenced on LFDJ, so here's a track from a very limited cassette released a couple of years earlier.

Captain Sensible - The Ballad Of Mark And Shula (from the "Come On Down" 12" Single, 1985)

My own find, this. A typically bizarre B-Side from the Captain, containing bits of his hit "It's Hard To Believe I'm Not" and what appears to be some factory boss bemoaning the fundamentally lazy British workers who clock in and read newspapers in the loo.

Frontier Scouts tracks can be found at the Chapter Music page on Bandcamp.

Random 80's Wednesday

Hello and thanks for stopping by today. Something a bit different this week, and moving forwards also. I've been meaning to comment on the slow pace of updates recently. My fiancee and I recently took on the full time care of two boys, one aged 8 and the other just a year. With my daily commute, three dogs, and living in a small house, it's been difficult to find the time and space to set up and use my turntable. For one thing, everything has to be kept out of baby's reach! So, like the Imajinca single I just posted, I'll do a few here and there but for the time being I'm largely restricted to music I've already recorded or obtained digitally elsewhere. So bear with me.

I was researching an album I saw on Discogs.com when I came across a very interesting, but old blog, namely La Folie Du Jour. It's been inactive for four years but the breadth of music showcased was quite impressive. Anyone who puts a Screen 3 B-Side in a compilation is o.k. with me! Sadly all the links were expired, but it did inspire me to go look for some of the music mentioned, so I'll be posting some here as a tribute to a great blog. I'll also try to comment on the bands as I go.

Yeah Jazz - Julie And The Sealions (7" Single, 1984)

Yeah Jazz were from Uttoxeter and released a handful of cassettes and albums. You can buy some of them at Smalltown Records.

The Turquoise Swimming Pools - Burst Balloons (from the Zoo compilation To The Shores of Lake Placid, 1982)

The sort-of supergroup TSP were Troy Tate and David Balfe from Teardrop Explodes, and producer/engineer Hugh Jones.

Bamboo Zoo - Submarine (from Look! Listen! Consume!, 1981)

Bamboo Zoo were a Manchester post punk band. They have a Facebook page. They have also posted new music on Reverbnation.

What To Wear - The Robbery (from Casual But Smart EP, 1980)

The Procession - Secret Love For Dinosaurs (from Haunted By Memories, 1987)

In addition, several of the tracks I saw posted are now available through legal channels:

Shiny Two Shiny, a Liverpool synth band, had the bulk of their material reissued on the compilation When The Rain Stops, in 2014.

Eton Crop have their own Bandcamp page.

Matthew Young also has a Bandcamp page.

New Zealand band Front Lawn also have a Bandcamp page.

The Brotherhood of Lizards album Lizardland, with bonus tracks, is also available at Bandcamp. English pop whimsy at it's finest.

Random 80's Wednesday (and some other decades as well)

We had a very nice, sun dappled holiday in Europe. So why post songs about rain? Uh, why not, right?

Steve Lake - In Every Life A Little Rain Must Fall (from Murder Violence Sex Divorce, 1985)
Geoff Byrd - Tale Of The Rain And The Moon (from Candy Shell, 2003)
Last Gentlemen - Grey Rain (from Last Gentlemen, 1985)
Casey Stratton - Past The Rain (from Standing At The Edge, 2004)
Merge - Ocean Rain (from Lost Heroes, 2001)

Random 80's Wednesday

Ata-Tat - Where The Wind Blows Best (from Ata-Tat EP, 1986)
Applied Science - Shadows Of Fear (from Definition, 1986)
Immaculate Fools - Tragic Comedy (from Dumb Poet, 1987)
The Crystal Set - Benefit Of The Doubt (from From Now On, 1987)
Glory - Hearts Will Sing (7" Single, 1987)

Random 80's Wednesday

Meat Loaf - Special Girl (7" Single, 1987)
Hearts On Fire - You Promised Me A Camera (from Dreams Of Leaving, 1985)
TV Smith - New Ways Are Best (Unreleased, available on Sparkle In The Mud CD)
Sad Lovers And Giants - Toy Planes In The Sky (from Treehouse Poetry, 1991)
Push - You Never Wait (from Push EP, 1984)

Random 80's Wednesday

The Goodbye Look - Half The Fun Of The Crime (7" Single, 1985)
The Snake Corps - Victory Parade (from Flesh On Flesh, 1985)
Twenty Two Cavegods - Raised Up (from Raised Up, 1988)
Emerald Choir - Autumn Winds (from Timber Timbre Burn, 1987)
Valerie And The Week Of Wonders - Real Surprise (7" Single, 1984)

Random 80's Wednesday

Freeze Frame - Today Tomorrow (7" Single, 1985)
Persian Gulf - Everything Begins Again (from The Movie, 1986)
Stream Dreams - Promises Of Love (from Red Red Rain, 1985)
Middle Class - Everything (from Homeland, 1982)
Systems Of Romance - Stay (from Dare The Dance, 1983)

Random 80's Wednesday

Swing Set - The Dance (from Life Speeds Up, 1986)
Basking Sharks - Red Rose (from Shark Island, 1983)
D-Day - Dance It Off (from D-Day, 1983)
Jules Shear - Chain Within A Chain (from Demo-itis, 1986)
Milltown Brothers - Janice Is Gone (from Manchester, North of England, 1988)

Random 80's Wednesday

Haven't done one of these for a while!

Figure 5 - Paradise (from Born To Vacation, 1985)
The MPs - Lavender Time (from Beater Release, 1987)
Black - It's Easy (Peel Session, 1982)
Naffi - D'Ya Hear Me (7" Single, 1981)
Some Now Are - Truth To Tell (7" Single, 1983)

Random 80's Thursday

This edition of Random 80's is brought to you from Rochester, Minnesota, where I have been based this week.

Captain Sensible - The Toys Take Over (7" Single, 1988)
Indoor Life - Blue Grey Green (from Indoor Life, 1983)
Bop Baroque - Remember The New Day (7" Single, 1988)
White Animals - Big Shot (from White Animals, 1986)
The Model Citizens - The Great Suspense (from An Ordinary Urge, 1984)

I recently discovered Captain Sensible after discovering he did a cover of "Relax" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood as the flip to his excellent Christmas single, "One Christmas Catalogue". What a great artist he is, reminds me a bit of Jona Lewie, with a great sense of humour, addressing a wide range of issues, and famous for novelty songs which probably annoys him no end. Too bad apart from one or two albums his output is pretty hard to buy or download.

Random 80's Wednesday

I bought some great vinyl in Denver over my birthday - mainly thanks to Andy at Albums On The Hill in Boulder and Black And Read in Arvada. Here's some tasters.

The Lonely Now - If I Could (from Original Intentions, 1987)
Dietplan - Counting Houses (from The Melting Pot, 1986)
Mondo Vita - Technical Difficulties (from Fins De Paris, 1983)
Tom Bright - Younger Days (from Torture Land, 1986)

Random 80's Wednesday

Crazy busy at work this week, after a fantastic surprise birthday trip to Denver last weekend. Nothing too mind blowing today, just wanted to put something up for you all.



Breeding Ground - Happy Now I know (1986)



The Hooters - Satellite (1987)



Timbuk 3 - Reverend Jack and His Roamin' Cadillac Church (1988)



Big Dipper - Faith Healer (1990)



Crash Test Dummies - God Shuffled His Feet (1993)

I'm absolutely shocked I have not, apparently, posted this Crash Test Dummies video before. What a fantastic, creative band they were/are.

Random 80's Wednesday

Let's see what's been playing at MFL Towers these past few days...

Wet Picnic - Cocktailed Sky (from Balls Up, 1982) 

Horizontal Brian - Everybody Wants To Be American (from Vertical, 1983) 

Salvation Sunday - Reservations (Unreleased, circa 1986) 

Z6 - You, Eugene And Me (7" Single, 1983) 

Haven Terrace - In A West Coast Town (7" Single, 1986) 

A Picture Made - God Loves A Hell Of A Man (7" Single, 1986)

Random 80's Wednesday

Nacey And Matthew - Jamie (from Electric Stares, 1984)
Sight Unseen - Is This Heaven (from Sounds Eclectic, 1987)
The Other Side - Is It Any Wonder (7" Single, 1987)
Grey Parade - The Empty Room (from The Reason, 1985)
Dan Barr - Bus Full Of Nuns (from WEBN Album Project 8, 1985)

"Jamie" is a terrific little song which I couldn't wait to post. I found the album by scanning through 1984 albums for sale on Discogs, and a quick google search led me to a YouTube post. I knew right away I needed this record, unoriginal it may be for sure, but I'm a sucker for this kind of sound - to me very reminiscent of Jimmy Jimmy and their bright young pop.

Random 80's Wednesday

Some good tunes I've heard recently.

Graphic - In A Different World
(from Baysongs, 1985)

Simon F - Phones
(from Gun, 1985)

The Passmore Sisters - Every Child In Heaven
(7" Single, 1987)

Sex Execs - Tami-Itis
(from Sex Execs EP, 1982)

The City - Planets In Motion
(from Foundation, 1986)

Random 80's Wednesday

More videos this week. The common thread? All of these are Zeus B. Held productions.

This Island Earth - See That Glow



The Spy - Big Brother



Flesh For Lulu - Every Little Word



Spear Of Destiny - Never Take Me Alive



Pete Wylie - Diamond Girl

Random 80's Wednesday

Decided to link to some YouTube videos today.

Willy Finlayson - On The Air Tonight



I came across "On The Air Tonight" while looking through the top 100 singles archives for 1984 and 1985. I was looking for good songs that didn't break into the Top 40 and this was one of them.

John Eddie - Jungle Boy



I recently picked up John Eddie's 2003 CD Who The Hell Is John Eddie, after liking his cover of Inbetween Days on an Elektra compilation a while ago. When I found he had some 80's singles out there, I had to check them out.

Gee Mr Tracy - Permanent Swoon



Having seen a single on eBay, it proved surprisingly difficult to find any other music blogs with their stuff on. That will have to be rectified!

Tessa Niles And Status Quo - The Safety Dance



Not strictly 80's - I think this was a 1996 concert - but I just love Tessa Niles and I came across this while looking for one of her (rare) solo singles. Tessa was one of the top backing vocalists in the 80's and there is a good summary of her career here.  And I don't know if the 'Quo performed at the London Olympics but to me they are the quintessential English pub rock band.

Virna Lindt - Attention Stockholm



I don't know much about Virna Lindt but I've been doing some research lately on the Compact Organisation, an early 80's record label in North London. Apparently this was a Smash Hits single of the week. They also released a record by Cynthia Scott, who later appeared in Aliens as Corporal Dietrich.

If you enjoy any of these, let me know!!

Random 80's Wednesday

Zot - Uranium (from Zot, 1985)
Lulu Kiss Me Dead -  The Ultimate Solution (7" Single, 1984)
Sea Cadets - Did I Upset You? (from Hoist The Main Sail, 1984)
Four Eyes - Gravity (from Is There A Secret?, 1987)
Rubber Rodeo - Heartbreak Highway (from Heartbreak Highway, 1986)

Random 80's Wednesday

The Illustrious Illustrated Men - Fiction Of Sin (from Ghost At The Feast, 1989)
The Parachute Men - Past Not Forgotten (from The Innocents, 1988)
Dangerous Orphans - Habitation (7" Single, 1989)
The Way Moves - Heart Beats For You (from The Way Moves, 1988)
Vellum Stairs - You're Always Guilty (7" Single, 1990)

Random 80's Wednesday

This time here are some extended mixes I had kicking about.

East Of Java - Different World (Extended Mix)

Heroes - Driftaway (Extended Version)

Mechanical Man - Pressure Situation (Extended Mix)

The Escape - Russian Lady (Extended Mix)