Manic Street Preachers - Rewind The Film

The Manics are perhaps the latest in a line of bands that are best referred to as a Singles Band.  If someone were to ask me to recommend a Manics album, I would have no hesitation in pointing them in the direction of 'National Treasures: The Complete Singles'.
The problem (for me) was that their albums never really hung together properly.

And a case in point is their latest offering "Show Me The Wonder".  A single that just gets better with each listen, until it is firmly buried inside your head, popping out without warning when making a cup of coffee, walking the dog or brushing your teeth first thing in the morning.

"So what of the new album?", I hear you ask (or perhaps don't, fearing that I'm about to go off on some long meandering flight of fancy, and never really arriving at a recommendation or conclusion).

21 years ago 'Generation Terrorists' hit the shelves on a wave of hype and expectation.  The album was over-produced, overly glossy and over long.  But the singles lifted from it were some of the best noises to emerge in the dark days of 1992 (and there begins the 'Manic Street Preachers are a Singles Band' legend).
In short, the debut filed to live up to many peoples (including the bands) expectations.  It didn't sell the predicted 22 million, and they weren't able to split up in a crash of publicity and legend.
This meant only one thing.  They would have to re-group, re-think and return to the studio and do some more work.
Next off the blocks was 'Gold Against The Soul' which (and I'm being fair here) was OK, followed by 'The Holy Bible' in 1994.  Revisionist history identifies this album as the Manics masterwork, a work of genius, despite it's relatively poor sales.  Well, for me this is another OK album.

So, after 3 years of recording, they'd managed a slew of great singles, and 3 ultimately disappointing albums.
Maybe this was their lot, a promise of greatness never truly fulfilled.

Following the disappearance of Richey Edwards in February 1995, the remaining three piece re-grouped and in 1996 released 'Everything Must Go'.  5 of the tracks featured lyrics from Richey Edwards, but overall the album marked a definite change in sound, attitude and lyrical theme.  The sound was more anthemic, epic even, and much richer and tighter than any of it's predecessors (it's closest relation is 'Gold Against The Soul').
And they continued the stadium-friendliness, albeit with a tougher political undercurrent, with 'This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours' in 1998.
'This Is My Truth ...' was their biggest selling album, and the Manics were one of the biggest bands in the UK.  But still the album lacked cohesion.
It was 3 years before 'Know Your Enemy' was uleashed.  The album was a return to the punk propoganda of early releases, but lacked focus.
'Lifeblood' was wistful, in place melancholic and downbeat.  Thier are reminiscences of Joy Division/New Order and The Cure.  Whilst still not the complete album that the Manics should have been capable of, the change in sound and focus were refreshing (although the politics / protest / anger was still apparent in a couple of songs.

In 2007, 'Send Away The Tigers' was released (preceded by the single "Your Love Alone (Is Not Enough)").  At last, this was a proper album.  To these ears, it just worked from start to finish.  Big on the stadium-rock epic sound, electric guitars turned up to 11, bombastic drums, and even room for a cover of "Working Class Hero".
'Journal for Plague Lovers' was the bands attempt to lay the ghost of Richey to rest, and is admirable, if not the greatest addition tho the Manic Street Preachers catalogue
And then, to prove 'Send Away The Tigers' it was no freak occurrence, they repeated the cohesive album trick with 'Postcards from a Young Man'.

And so we arrive at the new album, 'Rewind The Film'.

The opening line: "I don't want my children to grow up like me" prepares the ground for what is to come.
12 brand new tracks, presented in the main in acoustic bareness, with a theme of reflection, and the omni-present feeling of loss.  The sound of the album is a departure from the expected punk/stadium rock which they are known for.  There are touches of folk, stabs of Motown/Northern Soul horns and even a gospel departure.  Parts of the album sound like a more accessible version of Radiohead.  The inclusion of additional of voices (Richard Hawley on '"Rewind The Film", Lucy Rose on "This Sullen Welsh Heart" and Cate Le Bon on "4 Lonely Roads") adds another dimension to what you would expect from the Manics.
Many of the tracks can be described as un-typical Manic tracks, and then you hear the voice of James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wires reluctant backing vocals and the oft-employed string arrangements which bathe a selection of the songs, and it's back to business.
Special mention for "Manorbier", the most un-typical Manics track here. This is essentially an instrumental rooted in a spacey, almost ambient presentation.  If this were to be performed in a stadium setting, I'm sure that the lighters would be aloft for the triumphant, choir like chanting at the end.
This is album finishes with the only truly angry song here.  "30 Year War" is the bands Thatcher song.
Reads like a history lesson the working classes fight against "the endless parade of old Etonian scum" (would any other band write a song with those words in it?).  And it really is quite angry, and all wrapped in a musical package that starts with a simple horn lament, followed by electronic sweeps and then the archetypal Manic Street Preachers epic soundscape with personal and angry, almost spat out, lyrics

It's a political sentiment that I don't necessarily agree with, but when does that stop anyone enjoying an album as good as this one is.

The Manic Street Preachers are at their best when they are plugged in and turned up to 11, but this album works without the need for bombastic drums, histrionic guitars or stadium-pleasing anthems.
12 tracks of contemplation, reflection, and (as is always conveyed with their albums) honesty.
 For me, it's a competitor to 'Send Away The Tigers' and 'Postcards From A Young Man' as their most complete album.


And this is the most un-typical Manics track on the album, - Manorbier.

Is This The Most English Song Ever?

I'm currently on holiday (well, couple of days off following the Bank Holiday), and have been engaging in the usual folly associated with going out for the day in Great Britain.
"Where shall we go?"
"Oh, lets go to the coast for the day.  Or we could just go out for a drive somewhere and see what we find"

If the above ("go out for a drive and find a nice pub or something") is ever suggested, then my best advice is: DON'T!
You'll never find anywhere, and end up driving down tiny little country roads (often with grass growing down the middle) in the vain hope of finding pub nirvana - the sort of place with loads of parking, cheap beer, loads of different cask ales and plentiful portions of pub grub.
Well, these places don't exist and you'll end up sitting in the garden of a Harvester (or worse, the car park of a Little Chef (do these still exist?)) and then turning round and going home again.

At least I managed to draw one positive from the whole futile escapade.
Whilst driving around, I passed through some small villages, often with double or triple barreled names (many sounding like they should be names of Blues musicians) and was struck by the "Olde Worlde" fell of some of them, which brought to mind one of the most quintessentially English songs ever.

The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society

How many other songs make mention of those elements that (partially) define what it is to be in England? 


We are the Village Green Preservation Society
God save Donald Duck, Vaudeville and Variety
We are the Desperate Dan Appreciation Society
God save strawberry jam and all the different varieties
Preserving the old ways from being abused
Protecting the new ways for me and for you
What more can we do?
We are the Draught Beer Preservation Society
God save Mrs Mopp and good old Mother Riley
We are the Custard Pie Appreciation Consortium
God save the George Cross and all those who were awarded them
We are the Sherlock Holmes english speaking vernacular
Help save Fu Manchu, Moriarty and Dracula
We are the Office Block Persecution Affinity
God save little shops, china cups and virginity
We are the Skyscraper Condemnation Affiliate
God save tudor houses, antique tables and billiards
Preserving the old ways from being abused
Protecting the new ways for me and for you
What more can we do?
God save the Village Green

The parent album (full title - The Kinks Are: The Village Green Preservation Society) sold poorly in its release, but is now regarded as a genuine classic and one of the best (if not THE best) in The Kinks catalogue.
The poor sales were probably not helped by the fact that:
- many of their contemparies were going hippy-dippy psychedelic or focusing on the American market.  Releasing your album on the same day as The Beatles 'White Album' and a week before The Rolling Stones 'Beggars Banquet' probably didn't help much either.

The album is often referred to as a 'Concept Album', and whilst there is an underlying theme, I personally don't think it is.  It's certainly not a concept album when compared to the next album ('Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)'), The Pretty Things 'S F Sorrow' or The Who's 'Tommy').
What it is a collection of some of the best songs Ray Davies has written, touching on themes of loss ("Village Green", Do You Remember Walter"), family memories ("Picture Book", "People Take Picture Of Each Other"), child-like fantasy/whimsy "Phenominal Cat" and acceptance of the march of time ("The Last Of The Steam Powered Trains".  In fact the songs are that good they could afford to leave "Days" off of the UK release.

Much like when I'm reading P G Wodehouse, it seems to refers to a past that no longer exists, and probably never did, but you just want to spend some time in the world described.

Kate Rusby performing the title track The Village Green Preservation Society.
I suppose it would be called a tender and delicate reading of the song. with added Yorkshire twang.
Adds a new dimension to the song (to these ears)

And while I'm here, what is it about female voices and Ray Davies songs?
Here's two more examples.
Kirsty MacColl - Days (the hit single that didn't make the final cut of the Village Green Preservation Society)

Pretenders - Stop Your Sobbing (originally released in 1964 on the Kinks debut album)

You Could Be Laughing 65% More Of The Time

Yes, I know it's a lyric from John Grant's second album, but I've only just got round to buying the first ("Queen Of Denmark").
This album was released in 2010, but it's taken 3 years and the purchase of his follow-up album "Pale Green Ghosts" for this CD to find a home on my shelf.
And to be honest, since I've bought it, it hasn't spent much time on the shelf.  It's almost taken up permanent residence in the CD Player.

'Queen Of Denmark' is an album where the songs a primarily based around a piano and John Grant's voice, with a healthy slab of melancholy and bitter-sweet reflection.
All served up with a collection of lyrics that are both thoughtful, powerful and full of humour and wit.  From start to finish, it touches on music hall ("Silver Platter Club"), the opening of "Marz" has a touch of the nursery rhyme about it, attack on intolerant people ("JC Hates Faggots"), and just generally having a bad day (or longer) ("Chicken Bones").  The lyrics even find time to have a pop at Winona Ryder's english accent in the film Dracula ("Sigourney Weaver").

The title track is, for me, the stand out track of the whole album.  The track starts on a reflective tone, and almost self loathing.  It starts with the line: "I wanted to change the world, But I could not even change my underwear" and continues in a sort of apologetic tone, before the chorus (and the backing band (Midlake)) explode forth, before relenting and the verse returns to the piano and John Grant's deep, mellow. emotive and rich voice.

Throughout the album, there is a deeply personal sounding tone to many of the songs, but the humour and wit contained in the lyrics shines through and just adds to the "earworm-iness" of the songs.
I guarantee that you will leave this album, perhaps feeling slightly uncomfortable in places, but with a wry smile on your face (maybe that's just my experience?)

Don't believe me?  Judge for yourself - "Queen Of Denmark"

"So, where does this ... 65% More Of The Time ... thing come from?", I hear you ask.
Well, that is lifted from the lyric of "GMF" from the second album ('Pale Green Ghosts').
Musically similar to "Queen Of Denmark", this song sounds much more self-confident and knowing of himself, but I as the listener am not entirely convinced.
The song contains more of the fine lyrical moments such as:

"I'm usually only waiting for you to stop talking, So that I can
Concerning 2-way streets I have to say, That I am not a fan"
and
"Half of the time I think I'm in some movie
I play the underdog of course
I wonder who'll they'll get to play me, maybe
They could dig up Richard Burton's corpse"

I'm also amused by the exponential reduction he introduces in the final lines of the song:

"And don't forget you could be laughing

65 percent more of the time
You could be laughing
63 percent more of the time
You could be laughing
25 percent more of the time"

It almost feels he has developed some mathamatical equation to calculate how much more happier you would be in his company, but regressing over time.

The attendant video is one of the best directed, best shot and best acted I've seen for a long while, and just adds to the song as a whole package:

Monotonous Ribbons Of Tarmac

It took SEVEN attempts to pass my Drving Test, so when I finally did get that magical piece of paper, Driving became a bit of an obsession.  Any opportunity to travel by car was taken, meaning I spent most of my late teenage and early 20s completely sober.  I was the designated driver - designated by myself, and it was surprising how little argument there was among my friends.
And now I was fully licensed, I felt it was my duty to explore the road network of Great Britain.
And what did I discover?  Motorways are just plain tedious!

An example: if I am travelling to the West Country (Warning: There be Dragons), the road choice is simple.  M4/M5 or A303.  My choice is always A303.  It's a million times more interesting, it has roundabouts every 20 or so miles to keep you awake, and it just feels so much quicker.

Now I don't profess to have driven on every Motorway, but I've been on a fair few and offer the following observations.

• The M4 section from Reading to Slough is about 20 miles and never seems to drag or lose interest over this relatively short distance.  However, The M4 section from Reading to Newbury is about the same distance but seems to go on forever.
  After this, the run to Swindon feels never-ending - in fact, it feels like you are entering a different time zone (although, you are now in Wiltshire and so this is probably true)
• Following on from the statement above regarding travel to the West Country, the M5 is usually jammed with traffic, hence reducing average speed and making this section of your journey longer than it needs to be.  Frankly, after passing through the motorway interchange at Bristol, it's a job to stay awake on this frustratingly slow and overly packed roadway.
• The M6, specifically the section from Stoke to Carlisle is perhaps the most featureless stretch of road I have ever been on.  Even the 1960s carbuncle that is Lancaster Services cannot alleviate the monotony.  Plus points however are gained for the Westmorland Farm Shop at Tebay Services.  Perhaps the most bearable Motorway Service Area on the whole network.
• Running from the M40 to the M6, this section of the M42 never feels that long.  The reverse journey, however never seems to stop.
• In the interests of balance, I can honestly say that the M1 is actually a good stretch of road.  Purely based on personal experience, I've never suffered from the normal tedium, tiredness 'nodding off and crashing' scenarios of other motorways.
• The M25 - good or bad?  Well, it is basically just a big ring road.  It serves it's purpose, and never having been stuck on it on a Friday night, I have no issues with it.
  It also has possibly the best piece of graffiti ever (on the Amersham Viaduct):

Perhaps the most famous road to be celebrated in song is Route 66.  It and conveys a romantic vision of driving across America.  Free, the open road, the wind in your hair, foot down, arm out of window and drive.
I've never done this trip, but speaking to people who have, advice ranges from "very boring" to "don't bother" (you may know different of course).
Whatever, lets stick with the dream view for a second.
Conversely, there is never likely to be a song written about the joys of travelling on the M4.

Well if you ever plan to motor west
Just take the motorway that's (not) the best
Life is a bit of a bore, on the M4
Well it winds from Chiswick to Pontarddulais
Nearly 200 miles all the way
Life is a bit of a bore, on the M4
Well it goes from Hounslow to Slough
The Maidenhead Bypass section looks oh so pretty
You'll see Reading and Newbury
Hungerford and Wantage, don't forget Swindon
Bath, Bristol and The Severn Bridge
Would you get hip to this kindly tip
And go take that South Wales trip
Life is a bit of a bore, on the M4


Admittedly, Tom Robinson's "2-4-6-8 Motorway" is generically as close as a British song gets to celebrating the road network.  And Kula Shaker's love letter to the A303 (titled, simply, "303") doesn't quite cut it.

And so, we must leave it to the Irish to celebrate roads closer to home.  Consider the lyric of The Saw Doctors "N17"

And I wish I was on the N17
Stone walls and the grass is green
And I wish I was on the N17
Stone walls and the grass is green
Travelling with just my thoughts and dreams

So much more interesting than:
I've just passed Almondsbury Interchange, next stop is Aust Services
Hope I've got the right money for the Severn Bridge Toll

The following links have been heavily visited by me, because for some reason I find this sort of stuff interesting (no idea why?).
My wife, on the other hand, is somewhat exasperated by my reading/research of this information.  Even going so far to state: "Why don't you spend your time looking at porn like most other blokes?"

Pathetic Motorways

The Motorway Archive

Motorway Services Online

Who's Next?

Without wishing to strike a morbid note (and let's face facts, it WILL happen sooner or later), those musicians from the 60s and 70s who can cause such as buzz with the release of new material or an announcement of a festival headline gig or a new tour, will at some point shuffle of this ball of rock we call home and go to visit the great A&R department in the sky (except perhaps Lemmy who seems to have discovered the secret of immortality).

And yes, it will indeed be a sad day when those esteemed people do finally pass on.
One day, even Status Quo may stop touring, and then what?  Who is there to create that similar level of excitement when they announce they will headline Glastonbury or emerge from the studio with a new album.

Who is there working at this time who has a large enough catalogue and the sort of mass public appeal that is required for such a lofty position as "Keeper Of The Rock Flame".

Now, from my exceedingly myopic viewpoint, I suggest the following, and have difficulty coming up with many more contenders.

The Elder Statesman of 1970s Vintage:
Elvis Costello
Bruce Springsteen

The young (?) upstarts from Punk/New Wave to early 1980s:
Paul Weller
John Lydon
Billy Bragg
U2
Morrissey

From the 1980s, and seemingly never to escape that connection:
Midge Ure
Depeche Mode
Madness

From the 1990s to now(ish):
Noel Gallagher
Damon Albarn / Blur
Radiohead
Manic Street Preachers
Primal Scream
Jack White
Richard Hawley
Arctic Monkeys
Mumford and Sons (love 'em or loathe 'em, I think they will be around for a while yet)

Creators of two of the best Albums of 2013, but will they still be doing the job in 2033?:
Frank Turner
John Grant


Cynically, it appears that the music business has gone backwards 60 years to a time of a single controlling force (for Larry Parnes in the 1950s, read Simon Cowell in the 21st Century), and the defined career path of From New Kids On The Block to Old Geezers Standing On A Stage is seemingly not currently an option.
We are now in 2013 and in need of the next Elvis or Beatles moment - that point in time where something comes along and completely changes the business model, and hopefully for the better.

But never mind - the sun is shining and all is (seemingly) well in the world (unless you live in Egypt).
Here's an exceedingly summery tune, provided by one of the bands who could've made the list  (but they seemed to have disappeared up there own fundament)

Noah And The Whale - 5 Years Time

A Part of British Heritage I Can Live Without

The TV Sitcom is a many splendoured thing.
From the great (eg Hancock, Steptoe and Son, Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads, Porridge, Fawlty Towers, Blackadder) to the watchable (eg Just Good Friends), to the unwatchable, but you can understand why some people like it (Last Of The Summer Wine) to the absolute dross (eg Bottle Boys, Brighton Belles).  It's what has been filling up our TV screens since they first flickered into life.

But why, when cinema audiences were on the downturn in the 1970s, did the film companies decide to make feature length versions of the lower end of the Sitcom spectrum?

• Are You Being Served?
• Bless This House
• Father, Dear Father
• George and Mildred
• The Lovers
• Love Thy Neighbour
• Man About the House
• On the Buses (which somehow managed 3 films!)
• Please Sir!

Can you spot a theme here?  None of these were that funny as a sitcom, so who thoughn they could be expanded to a 90 minute cavalcade of comedy?
Was there an excess of cheap celluloid in the 1970s, and the ethos was "bung any old crap out, at least we'll get rid of the stockpile"?

Fraankly, I can live without this collection of mirthless trash, even if ITV2 continue to show them back-to-back EVERY Bank Holiday weekend.
So, in my new World Order, these films will be cast into the pit and lost for all eternity.

But its not all bad - being the benevolent dictator that I will undoubtedly be, some of the film from that period of cinematic daftness will be saved:

• Carry On Behind, Carry On England and Carry On Emmanuelle - despite being the three worst films to bear the name Carry On, they are saved for no other reason than they are Carry On films.
• Rising Damp, Till Death Us Do Part and Dads Army occupy that unique position of being top-notch sitcoms, but generally so-so films (ie not bad, but not that good either) - so they're safe
• Steptoe and Son goes a stage further - both the films are emminently watchable, but just fall short of greatness when operating outside the usual 30 minute time period. - saved

Also saved from eternal damnation are two of the best of the sorry crop:

• Porridge
• The Likely Lads.

The known characters, situations and frustrations from the TV series remained, but both seamlessly made the transition to cinema.  This, I think, is due in no small part to the writers (Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais) whose later work including Auf Wiedersehen Pet, The Commitments and Flushed Away showed they were equally comfortable operating in a longer form, and not just in the defined 30 minute sitcom timeframe.

This pecualir folly of turning unfunny sitcoms into unfunny films stopped in the early 80s - good job too, otherwise the great viewing public may have been "treated" to feature length versions of 'Allo 'Allo and Hi-De-Hi.

But now it seems the idea of turning TV sitcoms into films is back, albeit with limited success.

The Thick Of It was a part scripted, part improvised political satire.  Hidden away on BBC4, and then transferring to BBC2, it was thought provoking, possibly savage, and in some case probably VERY close to the truth.  The film version "In The Loop" was a pale imitation of the TV show.
And in August, the long awaited (maybe only by me) Alan Partridge film - Alpha Papa - is to be released.  One can only hope that this film occupies the Porridge/Likely Lads territory, by being a valid addition to the AP cannon

Also in August, the second installment of a Touch Of Cloth will hit the TV Screens (as long as you have Sky One).
Written by Charlie Brooker and Dan Maier, the first installment debunked the TV Detective drama, icoporating just about every cliche and predictable plot evelopment going.  Also, stuffed full of as many bad puns, sight gags and general silliness as past masters suchas Airplane, Police Squad and Naked Gun.

Yup, it's looking like August is going to be a fine month (unless of course ITV2 decide to air one (or more) of the films mentioned above))

You've Got To Start Somewhere (or Another Pointless Quest)

Title Of Quest:  Assemble a collection of as many first releases from UK independent record companies
Point of Quest: Absolutley None

It is common knowledge that the first commercial release on Virgin Records was Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells' in 1973.  This album has to date sold something like 257 million copies, and is apparently Richard Madely's favourite album.  It was also the first album to be played in East Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall and was recently rejected as the theme for an ITV re-make of On The Buses (note: check these facts?) - not a bad way to start a record company.

This particular quest will be limited to the first single releases of UK Indepent record companies, primarily from late 70s/80s.  The principle of the search is (partially) inspired by The Clash song 'Hitsville UK' from "Sandinista", which explicity mentions 3 of these labels, but sort of encompasses the whole lot.

So what will I be hunting down?
(arranged in alphabetical order for no other reason than it will be easier to read (if you feel so inclined)

• Beggars Banquet BEG1: The Lurkers - Shadow / Love Story
• Bronze BRO1: Squeek - Make Hay While The Sun Shines / L'Amour D'Un Apres-Midi
  (not truly the first release on Bronze, but the first with the BRO catalogue reference)
• Chiswick SW1: The Count Bishops - Speedball EP (Route 66 / I Ain't Got You / Beautiful Delilah / Teenage Letter)
• Cherry Red CHERRY1: The Tights - Bad Hearts / It / Cracked
• Chrysalis CHS2001: Tir Na Nog - The Lady I Love / Heidi
• Cooking Vinyl FRY001: The Oyster Band - Hal-an-Tow / Ashes To Ashes
• Creation CRE001: The Legend! - '73 In '83 / You (Chunka, Chunka) We're Glamorous / Melt The Guns
• Damaged Goods DAMGOOD1: Thee Headcoatees - Headcoat Girl / Thee Headcoats - Lakota Woman
• Factory FAC2: A Factory Sample (Joy Division - Digital / Glass, The Durutti Column - No Communication / Thin Ice (Detail), John Dowie - Acne / Idiot / Hitlers Liver, Cabaret Voltaire - Baader-Meinhoff / Sex In Secret)
  Additional Trivia: Proof that Factory gave a number to everything it touched is borne out by the discovery that Tony Wilson's coffin was given the catalogue number FAC501
• Fiction FICS001: The Cure - Killing An Arab / 10.15 Saturday Night
• Go! Discs VFM2: The Box- Old Style Drop Down / Momentum
  (was there a VFM1, or did Go! Discs employ a Factory style numbering system?.  Maybe VFM1 was the Go! Discs office or Billy Bragg's first contract with the company?)
• Good Vibrations GOT1: Rudi - Big Time
  (and not, as many people may suspect Teenage Kicks from The Undertones)
• Heavenly HVN2: Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart
• Island WI001: Lord Creator - Independant Jamaica Calypso / Remember 
• Kitchenware SK2: Hurrah! - The Sun Shines Here / I'll Be Your Surprise 
• Neat NEAT ONE: Motorway - All I Wanna Be Is Your Romeo / It Ain't Easy When You're Alone
• PostCard 80-1: Orange Juice - Falling And Laughing / Moscow Olympics / Moscow
• Rought Trade RT001: Metal Urbain - Paris Maquis / Cle De Contact
• Small Wonder SMALL1: Puncture - Mucky Pup / You Can't Rock And Roll (In A Council Flat)
• Some Bizzare BZS2: Soft Cell - Tainted Love / Memorabilia
• Stiff BUY1: Nick Lowe - So It Goes / Heart Of The City

And now a couple that I've already got so have no need to search out these ones:

• Immediate IM001: The McCoys - Hang On Sloopy / I Can't Explain It
• Rigid Digits SRD1: Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device / Wasted Life
• Two Tone TT1/TT2: Specials - Gangsters / The Selecter - The Selecter

This could get expensive and time cosuming.  My stomping ground for the coming months will be ebay, discogs.com, car boot sales, charity shops - basically anywhere I may stumble across these items.

And what will I achieve from doing this?  Absolutely Nothing, expect the satisfaction that I will own several pieces of plastic which represent the birth of a number of small businesses which either no longer exist, or have been swallowed up by the huge faceless conglomerates.

Am I obsessed? Probably - as my wife said to me when I announced my intention: "Oh, you sad little man!"

And because I finish every post with a video, here are two fine examples of debut record label releases.
from Factory Records, Joy Division - Digital

and from Stiff Records, Nick Lowe - So It Goes

And if you believe I've missed anything, and should really be seeking out the initial outings of <insert name of record label here>, do please let me know and I'll add it to my list.