big star city rollers

a gerard love composition. now you see it, now you don't...

Sounds vaguely familiar ? It ought to. The sound of Memphis filtered through the dirty grey lense of the River Clyde; a perfect sound east coast pretenders, the Bay City Rollers, never quite got down on tape.

Before Teenage Fanclub (and the arrival of one Brendan O'Hare) there were the BMX Bandits, and - as this home recorded compilation of 4-Track demos proudly attests - The Boy Hairdressers and The Clydesmen too, a loose Big Star fixated collective forged between Glasgow's Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley, Francis Macdonald and Gerard Love.

Purloined from an undisclosed source:

"With Brendan, full-volume afternoon rehearsals begin in the unlikely setting of Norman’s bedroom in his Grandmother’s house in Bellshill and continue regularly until they feel about ready to exist in public. Throughout the practices Mrs Blake watches championship snooker on the television in between making the lads pots of tea."

"Kylie's Got a Crush on Us" eventually got it's chance to go public with the pressing of the Bandits' 1993 12", released through Alan McGee's Frankenstein, Creation Records; home to the mono-browed, super inflated egos of those New Deal upstarts, the Gallagher brothers.

1986, 53rd & 3rd Records.

▼ THE CLYDESMEN: KYLIE'S GOT A CRUSH ON US from "4-Track Stuff" (Bootleg) 1990 (UK)

track 4 probe

WAP 5.

ab•scess |ˌabsɪs| |-sɛs|
noun
a swollen area within body tissue, containing an accumulation of pus.

ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from Latin abscessus ‘a going away,’ from the verb abscedere, from ab- ‘away from’ + cedere ‘go,’ referring to the elimination of infected matter via the pus.

Hmmm. I seem to have developed an abscess.

My doctor has prescribed a short course of antibiotics - a penicillin blitzkrieg - but I fear a more invasive approach may ultimately be required. An excision. A sharpening of knives.

This, of course, only goes some way to justifying my escalating reluctance to adhere to the discipline of 24 hour posting; the everyday chore of scratching an irascible itch.

I have been listening to a lot of James Brown and Curtis Mayfield of late, as previous posts suggest. I potter about rather aimlessly between gulping down 500mg gelatin capsules as inviting as horse tranquilizers, and mixing effervescing cocktails of Jaap's Health Salts and Berocca infusions (like something named after a character in the arcade fighting game, "Mortal Kombat") to alleviate the resulting heartburn and general sense of feeling a little under the weather. I enjoyed the respite of a minor operation on the NHS involving the removal of a Pilinoidal Sinus several years ago; that was a pain in the ass too, but not so lamentably close to the bone. Just this morning an attractive young female doctor prodded at me - with what I perceived to be quite understandable reluctance - as I sprawled, legs akimbo, on an examining table; a paper sheet arranged ridiculously over my genitals. A more exhibitionistic personality may well have enjoyed the experience. As it was, I felt bad enough for the two of us.

I can think of nothing in my record collection which neatly wraps up the situation. If, indeed, there is something quietly lurking there, I don't wish to dwell on it. Or labour the point. This is as close to having my ankles up in stirrups as I ever want to go, quite frankly.

To quote an old chestnut: "For god's sake, nurse, I said prick his boil!"

Other than that, dear siblings, things are suitably swell.

▼ LFO: LFO (LEEDS WAREHOUSE MIX) from "LFO b/w Track 4 Probe (The Cuba Edit)" 12" (W.A.R.P. Records) 1990 (UK)

goo 1990 (v2.0.0.5)

1990's "Goo" is a somewhat patchy affair, but it does contain one of my favourite ever Sonic Youth tracks - "Tunic (Song for Karen)" - so I was slightly bemused on listening to the remastered 2005 release to find "Disappearer", with backing vocals by Don Fleming, vying for my attention. It was released as a single - prior to "Kool Thing" and "Dirty Boots" - so I ought to remember it. Latterly, it seems to be those songs featuring Thurston Moore on vocal duties which work the best for me; this was by no mean always the case, previously.

Another mild surprise was just how much I enjoyed the studio outtake, "Lee #2", which didn't make the cut first time around. The Deluxe Edition features 31 tracks in total, 20 of which are newly (well, 3 years ago recently) mixed outtakes, b-sides and rehearsals; all of which adds up, of course, to a far more comprehensive document or snapshot of that period in between "Sister" and "Dirty". Mixed by Aaron Mullen for the 2005 repackage, "Lee #2" is easily up there with any of those songs on the original vinyl release.

Here's an excerpt of what Mullen had to say regarding the remastering process:

"While reference CD’s of the new mastering were being made, listened to, and commented on, we were sorting out bonus tracks. The demo version of the complete album which had been previously bootlegged, and which many people have long preferred to the album proper, was an obvious thing to include. The sound of the released versions of the demos had always been a bummer. Thurston pointed out that the bootleg disks of the demos sounded better than the band’s own version which they released through the (now-defunct) Sonic Death Fan Club. So we dug out the original mix DAT and checked that out. It was better than the Fan Club CD. Then we dug out the 1/2” multitracks, and were totally blown away by the sounds Jim Waters had captured on the original tape."

Recorded at Sorcerer Sound and Greene Street, NYC, 1990.

Thurston Moore: guitar, vocals; Lee Ranaldo; guitar;
Kim Gordon: guitar, vocals; Steve Shelley: drums.

Produced by Nick Sansano; Ron St. Germain; Sonic Youth.
Mastered by Howie Weinberg.

▼ SONIC YOUTH: DISAPPEARER from "Goo: Deluxe Edition" 2 x CD (Goofin' / Smells Like) 1990/2005 (US)

▼ SONIC YOUTH: LEE #2 (STUDIO OUTTAKE) from "Goo: Deluxe Edition" 2 x CD (Goofin' / Smells Like) 1990/2005 (US)

PURCHASE GOO DELUXE EDITION 2 x CD
PRISONSHAKE: SPOO 45 @ ONE BASE ON AN OVERTHROW

the billy ghosts gruff

We are brittle. We are boned. First cut is the deepest.

You are invited.

ian begg: vocals; gus macdonald: guitar; fiona macdonald: bass; ken warner: guitar; jimmy johnstone: drums.

▼ GHOSTS: GOLDILOCKS from "The Lost Album" TEAC demos (Maryjane) 1992 (UK)

kiss all the fannies you can

it might never last....
(image 'lifted' from matt @ perceptions. delusions.)

In British parlance, "fanny" = pussy, so the very act involves a good deal less bending over backwards. Per se.

PAPER 003. Written by Norman Blake. With love from Glasgow; nearly. Bellshill is close enough. A kiss away and home to Sheena Easton.

▼ TEENAGE FANCLUB: EVERYTHING FLOWS from "Everything Flows b/w Primary / Speeder" 45 (Paperhouse) 1990 (UK)

PURCHASE A CATHOLIC EDUCATION

warts and all

drew friedman and josh alan friedman. penguin books.

Featuring reprints from:

"Bad News"; "Blab"; "Heavy Metal"; "Magick Theatre"; "National Lampoon"; "Prime Cuts"; "Raw"; "Snarf Comics"; "Spy"; "Twist"; "The Village Voice"; "Weirdo".

Introduction by Kurt Vonnegut. Embossed cover.

PURCHASE WARTS AND ALL
DREW FRIEDMAN: OFFICIAL SITE

what time is love ? (bunnymen mix)

INT 125.790.

Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty of the K Foundation; who once burned £1,000,000 to ashes on a remote Scottish Isle in a misguided artistic statement. Featuring The Children Of The Revolution.

Discuss.

▼ THE KLF: WHAT TIME IS LOVE ? (ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN MIX) from "What Time Is Love ? (Remodelled & Remixed) 12" EP (Blow Up) 1990 (UK)

OUT OF PRINT
PURCHASE THE WHITE ROOM / JUSTIFIED & ANCIENT

thin white rope: thirty pieces of silver

abandoned migrant worker camp; davis, california.



guy kyser in stockholm. photograph by arvid krantz.

Originally formed in Davis, California, Thin White Rope stretched to fraying point through the mid to late 80's, finally unravelling to less fanfare than they deserved. Their final live performance at Ghent, Belgium on 28th June 1982 was recorded for posterity on the double LP, "The One That Got Away".

Deriving their name from a line by William S. Burroughs, the Thin White Rope sound revolved around singer/songwriter/guitarist, Guy Kyser and second guitarist, Roger Kunkel; an intertwining of strings and feedback writhing like diamond skinned rattlesnakes tied up in a sack on the desert floor. And the strangled, wounded howl of singer Kyser with that same rope wound tight around his throat. At their best, their sound paints a picture of abandoned mining communities and the bones of family pets left bleaching under an unforgiving sun. Broken things.

The Paleontology of neglect.

At worst, that sound seemed compromised on too many occasions by affectation slipping uneasily close to self parody. Thin White Rope walked a tightrope where carefully tuned balance was key. One badly timed breath was all that was required to send them toppling.

"Yoo Doo Right" is a cover of the Can song - from their 1969 LP, "Monster Movie" - with new drummer, Matthew Abourezk given free rein to good effect. All other songs featured are written by Kyser. Produced by Thin White Rope and Tom Mallon.



berkley square, 1982. guy kyser and joszef becker of thin white rope, with scott miller of related davis group, game theory.
The line-up on "Sack Full Of Silver" comprises:

Guy Kyser: guitar, vocals
Roger Kunkel: guitar vocals
Matthew Abourezk: drums
Steve Siegrist: bass

▼ THIN WHITE ROPE: YOO DOO RIGHT from "Sack Full Of Silver" LP (Frontier) 1990 (US)

▼ THIN WHITE ROPE: THE GHOST from "Sack Full Of Silver" LP (Frontier) 1990 (US)

▼ THIN WHITE ROPE: DIESEL MAN from "Sack Full Of Silver" LP (Frontier) 1990 (US)

PURCHASE TWR AT FRONTIER RECORDS
DISCOGRAPHY

missa luba: gloria in excelsis deo

gloria in excelsis deo.

Well, the intention was to lead today with an extended celebration of Van's "Gloria", but following yesterday's (very courteous, admittedly) visitation by the "web sheriff" it would seem that's no longer on the agenda.

Of all those covers of this wonderful song, my own favourite is perhaps Patti Smith's from 1975's "Horses", but the Doors also did a mean live version, as did the Human Beinz in Japan, and the Blues Magoos on 1967's "Electric Comic Book".

Anyway, it's all a little immaterial in light of recent events, so stepping onto safer ground like a missionary navigating righteously hostile territories, let's instead turn our attention to 1963's remarkable Philip's release, "Missa Luba", featuring Les Troubadours du Roi Baudouin.

You might recall that the featured rendition of David Fanshawe's chorale was used to good effect in Lindsay Anderson's anti class didactic, "If..." in 1968. A european mass sung in a Congolese flavour, it was directed by Father Guido Haazen, who was presumably engaged in the Congo on a crusade to save souls and instil his little piece of dove winged heaven in the heartland of Africa.

▼ LES TROUBADOURS DU ROI BAUDOUIN: MISSA LUBA (SANCTUS) from "Missa Luba" LP (Philips) 1963 (France)

▼ MUUNGANO NATIONAL CHOIR, KENYA: MISSA LUBA (GLORIA) from "Missa Luba" CD (Philips) 1990 (France)

REISSUED

happy mondays

step on.

Two for monday from Tony Wilson's Factory, and both produced by Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne. Shaun Ryder never sounded so good. A much brighter intellect than his media hyped "thug" status suggests, Ryder was once married to my fellow Glaswegian Donovan Phillips Leitch's daughter, Oriole. Robert Plant famously implored one and all to squeeze his lemon, but you'd have to twist Mr. Ryder's melon, apparently, just to get a reaction.

This post's for Steve \m/ from Morningside Heights, NYC & Afghanistan. Play safe!

▼ HAPPY MONDAYS: STEP ON from "Pills 'n' Thrills & Bellyaches" CD (Factory) 1990 (UK)

▼ HAPPY MONDAYS: LOOSE FIT from "Step On: Remix '91" CD (Factory) 1991 (UK)

PILLS 'N' THRILLS & BELLYACHES

the fall

Written by Craig Scanlon and Mark E. Smith, with Brix Smith sadly no longer on board.

Open the bedroom window and let the warm breath of morning wash the lingering ghost from your sheets.

▼ THE FALL: BILL IS DEAD from "Extricate" LP (Cog Sinister/Fontana) 1990 (UK)

EXTRICATE