#43

Starting off today with one of the Weather Prophets best, released in the all too delicious format of a double 7" package, from a period when Creation were in a particularly scorching frame of mind. Then it's over to The Monkees, fourth single INXS ( produced by Richard Clapton ) & an Aussie only 7" for Echo.

Following this is the time Barney never sounded as good - as when he teamed up with Marr & Tennant, then Iva Davies has his hand in the Scribble pie and some Gobs.

The Sports track is from a UK 4 Track Ep of songs from the Don't Throw Stones era ( others on the ep "Who Listens To The Radio", "So Obvious", "Suspicious Minds" ). That's the one with the chick and the koala on the cover. Strewth cobber, no wonder half the flamin' world thinks we've got kangaroos in the main street of Sydney with photos like that !!

Go for it :)

Podcast 43 link for mp3
Podcast 43 link for text file tracklisting



Sideroom 7 Inch Singles Podcast #43
1. Almost Prayed - The Weather Prophets ( Creation 1986 ) ( 0.00 - 2.34 )
2. I'm A Believer - The Monkees ( RCA 1966 ) ( 2.34 - 5.15 )
3. Stay Young - INXS ( Deluxe Aust 1981) ( 5.15 - 8.32 )
4. Over The Wall - Echo & The Bunnymen ( WEA Aust 1981 ) ( 8.32 - 12.14 )
5. Getting Away With It - Electronic ( Factory 1989 ) ( 12.14 - 16.10 )
6. Sunday School - Scribble ( Regular Aust 1986 ) ( 16.10 - 20.09 )
7. Head Full Of Steam - The Go-Betweens ( Beggars Banquet 1986 ) (20.09 - 23.40 )
8. Step By Step - The Sports ( Stiff UK 1979 ) ( 23.40 - 27.13 )
9. Sticky Music - Sandii And The Sunsetz ( Sire 1982) ( 27.13 - 30.47 )
10. Perfect Skin - Lloyd Cole & The Commotions ( Polydor 1985 ) ( 30.47 - 33.59 )
( duration 34 mins, 320kps mp3 )

finally

pulled my finger out and did something new at Humans Beware !!

#42 another break from the norm

A break from the normal routine with a post earlier than ( what has become ) the traditional Sunday, only because I'm working both days of the weekend and this will prevent a post on time, so better earlier than never ( as the old saying doesn't go ). Also a break from the usual method of selection - randomness - and something similar to my "Red Eye Shop 3" adventure of a few weeks ago, today we have an "stuff I got on ebay recently". ( And then back to the normal method of selection next week )

Ok, first 'Crystal Crescent" by Primal Scream, a c-86 relic indeed ( in fact the a-side to Velocity Girl ), as is 'Therese' by The Bodines - however as Therese was already featured here way back on podcast #4 today we hear the b-side 'I Feel' ), ( back on #4 Therese was from a re-issue on Pop Records, here it's the original Creation release - woohoo !! ).

We also have 2 Ric Menck/Paul Chastain projects The Springfields ( Sarah 40 ) and Velvet Crush ( latter day Creation ). A few Aussie relics in the form of Brisbanites Ups & Downs and Let's Go Naked, as well as No Dance which was an amalgam band of Louis Tillet ( Wet Taxis ), Damien Lovelock ( Celibate Rifles ) and Brett Myers ( Died Pretty/The End ), and finally The Triffids with 'Beautiful Waste'. I know why this was being sold second hand as it appeared to have a god almighty scratch in the middle, and of those scary ones where the needle gets stuck in the groove, but owing to a neat little trick someone showed me once with placing drops of water on the record as it's playing to assist the needle over the scratch we have a miracle whereby the evil scratch is circumvented. Nice trick that worked well on this ocassion :)

There's also 'Zager & Evans" with 'In The year 2525' and the legendary Hugo Montenegro paying his respects to Ennio Morricone. Both records fit into the category of "singles my older brother had", from the many boxes of records he had in his room and which both fascinated me as a child and are the seminal roots for the existence of this blog, and my enternal love of the 7' format. Where possible I try to collect some of those records my brother had - within reason of course, ie I have not collected any Charlie Pride singles down the ensuing years...

Charlie Pride update : my brother informs me he didn't have any Charlie Pride singles only albums, but he did see Charlie live at the Yallah Woolshed.

Meantime enjoy today's earlier than normal post and I'll report back in 9 days time :)

Podcast 42 link for mp3
Podcast 42 link for text file tracklisting



Sideroom 7 Inch Singles Podcast #42
1. Crystal Crescent - Primal Scream ( Creation 1986 ) ( 0.00 - 2.32 )
2. Three Limbs - Lets Go Naked ( Trust Recs Aust 198?6? ) ( 2.32 - 5.45 )
3. Wonder- The Springfields ( Sarah 1990) ( 5.45 - 9.21 )
4. Swimming In The Mirror - No Dance ( Hot Recs Aust 1985 ) ( 9.21 - 13.19 )
5. In The Year 2525 - Zager & Evans ( RCA 1968? ) ( 13.19 - 16.28 )
6. I Feel - The Bodines ( Creation 1986 ) ( 16.28 - 19.19 )
7. The Perfect Crime - Ups & Downs ( Waterfront Aust 1986 ) (19.19 - 22.53 )
8. Hold Me Up - Velvet Crush ( Creation 1994 ) ( 22.53 - 25.52 )
9. Beautiful Waste - The Triffids ( Hot Recs Aust 1984 ) ( 25.52 - 29.11 )
10. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Hugo Montenegro ( RCA 196? ) ( 29.11 - 31.58 )
( duration 32 mins, 320kps mp3 )

#41, one for all the "ratbags" out there

Of special note today is the Arabic gentleman on the cover of song number 9. Unfortunately the record cover is not for the single inside it !! The cover is for a Farid El Atrache single ( I know this as I have another single by him, this time with the correct record inside ) who is a very famous Arabic singer. The single inside this cover is also by another very famous Arabic singer called Sabah and it's quite a catchy little number from her. I especially like how it's between The Church and The Higsons !!

The Arabic records I'm mentioning here have a sub-story attached to them - one year in my late teens I stayed with a friend and his parents for a while in summer at a place on the NSW south coast called Narooma ( near Dalmeny ) ( and Bermagui ) and we had great fun annoying his father with the various Arabic records we had both collected ( another fave "Rouh Rouh" by Naif Agby ). His father took it like a typical Aussie father - ie not very well, and failed to see the humour, calling us "ratbags" and shaking his head in disbelief. We however thought it was a mission well accomplished !!

ps - His fishing mates in the caravan park used to call him "HT" and we always quipped it stood for either "Henry Tatana", "Hairy Tits" or "Horri Tonkins". ( just thought you should know that ).

( for our overseas readers who don't know what a "ratbag" is, I guess you should try this link, - read & enjoy !! )

Also worth a mention is Arthur Lyman, a 7" ep supposedly his "greatest hits" - along with Taboo theres Bwana A, Jungle Drums and Cotton Fields. All tracks Arthur ably assisted by Harold Chang of course !

Podcast 41 link for mp3
Podcast 41 link for text file tracklisting



Sideroom 7 Inch Singles Podcast #41
1. I'm Your Money - Heaven 17 ( Virgin 1981 ) ( 0.00 - 4.01 )
2. Loaded Dice - The Surrenders ( Rubber Recs Aust 198?7? ) ( 4.01 - 7.06 )
3. Tonight- MO-dettes ( Decca 1981) ( 7.06 - 9.58 )
4. People Need A Viewmaster- Vel ( Popart ?2000? ) ( 9.58 - 13.59 )
5. Taboo - The Arthur Lyman Group ( Vogue UK 1963 ) ( 13.59 - 18.39 )
6. Black Man Ray - China Crisis ( Virgin 1985 ) ( 18.39 - 21.56 )
7. Don't Leave Me Behind - Everything But The Girl ( Blanco y Negro 1986 ) ( 21.56 - 25.01 )
8. She Never Said - The Church ( Parlophone Aust 1980 ) ( 25.01 - 28.06 )
9. Bikoulouli Touby - Sabah ( Voice Of Lebanon 196?? ) ( 28.06 - 31.33 )
10. It Goes Waap - The Higsons ( Waap Records 1981 ) ( 31.33 - 35.18 )
( duration 35 mins, 320kps mp3 )

#40, a story of producers

Starting with an early Cameron Allen production, The Numbers - as in the Sydney band - ironically The Riptides ( nee The Numbers in Brisbane ) also show up today. Followed by some very frisky Housemartins and an Italian lass called Vibeke I know nothing about ( other than on the cover she's sporting some hair a few Sarah Records bands would die for - the guys I mean ). Then we have The Gobs produced by John Brand - any info on who he was anybody ??

The Smiths of course looked after themselves with the help of one Stephen Street ( !! ) after they got jack of Troy Tate that is...

I know very little about The Great Outdoors, other than they're Londoners ( like Davey Jones ?? ) and were produced by Pat Collier, who worked with The Wonder Stuff amongst others.

There's been a zillion bands called ( The ) Boys, the one here today is the Perth band, produced by Mark Moffat.

Then we come to Split Enz, and I really only started this whole "producer" rant so I could pay homage to David Tickle. I think ( and Enz fans feel free to shoot me down here ) I See Red was the first Tickle produced track ( ?? ) and he was only about 18 at the time ( ?? ). Anyway of course he went on to produce some awesome music with the Enz and I was basically sad to see him go as producer ( another naff Guidinski idea ?? )

Tickle update : just Googled him - turns out I See Red was the first venture with Split Enz, looks like he was 19 or 20 at the time. I was also amazed to read he was also a so called "trainee" engineer on Heart Of Glass by Blondie ! Good one Davey !! Seems I was wrong to blame Guidinski for his departure though - word is his ego got outa control and the band got jack of him...get a grip Davey !!

Podcast 40 link for mp3
Podcast 40 link for text file tracklisting



Sideroom 7 Inch Singles Podcast #40
1. A Five Letter Word - The Numbers ( Deluxe Aust 1980 ) ( 0.00 - 2.47 )
2. Five Get Over Excited - The Housemartins ( Chrysalis 1987 ) ( 2.47 - 5.23 )
3. A Me Piace Lui- Vibeke ( RCA Italiana 196?) ( 5.23 - 8.08 )
4. Cattle And Cane - The Go-Betweens ( Rough Trade 1983 ) ( 8.08 - 12.03 )
5. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before - The Smiths ( Rough Trade 1987 ) ( 12.03 - 15.30 )
6. Tomorrow's Tears - The Riptides ( Flat Recs Aust 1979 ) ( 15.30 - 18.31 )
7. Great Romance - Great Outdoors ( Uptight Recs 1986) ( 18.31 - 22.11 )
8. When You're Lonely- Boys ( Parole Aust 1980 ) ( 22.11 - 25.37 )
9. I See Red - Split Enz ( Illegal Recs UK 1979 ) ( 25.37 - 28.49 )
10. Mad World - Tears For Fears ( Mercury 1982 ) ( 28.49 - 32.20 )
( duration 32 mins, 320kps mp3 )