The Source Featuring Candi Staton - You Got The Love

A Favourite of mine from 1991 which has been re-released and re-mixed several times.

I still prefer the original 91 version but there are 4 distinct versions.

Erens Bootleg Mix - 1991 Vinyl
Chicago 86 Mix - 1991 Vinyl B Side
1997 Remix - CD
2006 Remix - CD

The Firm

Two novelty singles from the Firm.

I always thought the Firm were ex members of seventies pop group the Rubettes, but according to Wikipedia there is no link

The group is listed as John O'Connor and Graham Lister.
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Arthur Daley (E's Alright) / Arthur Daley (He's Alright) (Posh Version)

Star Trekkin / Dub Trek

Frankie - Relax on the Tube 1983

The first version of Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood as featured on "The Tube" back in 1983.
The song was then titled "Relax (In Heaven Everything Is Fine)" and obviously underwent a massive Trevor Horn overhaul before hitting the shops and becoming an all time classic.

Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias - Heads Down

Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias - Heads Down, No Nonesense, Mindless Boogie (Double Single).
The was the first Albertos record I ever bought, and as far as I remember the only one to hit the chart.
In the era of gimmicks like coloured vinyls, shaped picture discs and multiple covers I think this was my first "double" single.
Other tracks are 'Thank you', 'Fuck you' and 'Dead meat (Pt2).

Billy Bragg - Levi Stubbs Tears

One more from Billy Bragg, Levi Stubbs Tears.
Backed up with Think Again and Walk away Renee (Version).

Levi is a great tune showing Billy's talents, Think again is an anti war song, and my favourite is Walk Away Renee which includes some brilliant lyrics.
My Vinyl Rip of Walk away seems to have a wonky ending despite the record not being warped?
Maybe this was fixed on the later version or I might just have a mis-press?

Billy Bragg - Life's A Riot

Billy Bragg - Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy (Vinyl Rip)
Never sure if this was classed as an album or 12" EP? as the running time is under 16 minutes for the 7 tracks and it's a 45rpm.
Brilliant record that I've played to death for years.
Something for everyone with the classic tunes such as 'The Man in the Iron Mask' and 'the Milkman of Human Kindness', and the well known 'A New England'.
Other tracks are 'Richard', 'The Busy Girl', 'To Have and Have Not' and the short and sharp 'Lovers Town Revisited'.

Billy Bragg - Between The Wars

Still one of my favourites, Billy's 4 track EP.
Between the wars, Which side are you on, World turned upside down, It says here.
All great tracks which summed up the misery that was Tory government. Although some great music and comedy was born from this period we must never let them back in, whatever you think of Brown.

Goldie - To Be Alone

Another one of those records that I own on vinyl, that I've never seen online.
From 1978 this isn't the gold toothed drum 'n' bass ex Eastenders guy, I believe they came from the North of England and had one other hit "Making up again".
It sounds dated, but it's a good song.

A Side - To Be Alone
B Side - As Beautiful As You

Vermilion - Angry Young Women

Have failed to find a version of this on the net despite trying for years, so here's the vinyl version.

A Side - Angry Young Women / Nymphomania
B Side - Wild Boys (Ride Their Bikes)

Toyah - Ieya

This is the single version of the first two tracks on the Blue Meaning LP, includes an edited version of Ieya and an extended version of Spaced Walking.

Toyah - The Blue Meaning

The follow up to Sheep Farming, this is an improvement overall with the title track being the stand out, with maybe "She" being a close second.

Not a great start with an overblown version of Ieya and the silly "Spaced walking" but after that it's a really good album.

Tracklist

Ieya, Spaced Walking, Ghosts, Mummies, Blue Meanings.

Tiger Tiger, Vision, Insects, Love Me, She.

Toyah - Sheep Farming In Barnet

Toyah - Sheep Farming In Barnet (Vinyl LP)

Seems embarrasing nowadays to admit to being a big fan of Toyah Willcox, but I own up, I was.
Bought an EP called "Sheep farming in Barnet" on a day trip to London's varied backstreet record stores back in the late seventies.
Mainly for that old reason of liking the picture on the cover :) and also remembering that she had been in the Jubilee film.
I've got a thing for quirky female voices, also a big fan of Siouxsie, X Ray Spex, Lene Lovich and Kate Bush, so I loved this and then spent ages trying to find a copy of the album version.
Felt slightly ripped off as the six songs from the EP were on it plus the A and B sides of the "Victims of the Riddle" single, only 3 tracks I didn't already own.
Sometime after the first album was released Toyah appeared in an episode of the BBC detective show "Shoestring" singing "Neon Womb" and my all time favourite "Danced", the first time I had seen her on the box, and I was convinced so I sent off my pound to join "the Intergalactic Ranch House" the official fan club, received a few pictures and some badges.
The next single "Bird in Flight / Tribal Look" continued the appreciation and not long after the excellent Blue Meaning LP was released and I rushed out and bought it on the first day of release and played it to death.
The next album up was a live album called Toyah Toyah Toyah which was pretty awful to be honest, and then she released the terrible "it's a Mystery" on the "Four from Toyah" EP, I bought it because I was a fan.
Suddenly this became a hit and Toyah became a household name and I forgot about her.

LP Tracklist
Neon Womb, Indecision, Waiting, Computer, Victims Of The Riddle, Elusive Stranger.
Our Movie, Danced, Last Goodbye, Victims Of The Riddle (Vivisection), Race Through Space.

Frank Chickens

This is an odd record from the mid eighties by Japanese performers the Frank Chickens, well worth a listen.
A Side - Blue Canary
B Side - We are Frank Chickens

Adverts - Safety In Numbers

A Side - Safety In Numbers
B Side - We Who Wait

Adverts - Gary Gilmore's Eyes

A Side - Gary Gilmore's Eyes
B Side - Bored Teenagers

UK Subs - Tomorrows Girls

Tomorrows Girls by the UK Subs the original blue vinyl 7"

A Side - Tomorrows Girls
B Side - Scum of the Earth / Telephone numbers.

Vinyl Rips

Recently bought myself an mp3 turntable so that I could play (and rip) some of those long forgotten tracks that I own.
I hadn't played most in over 10 years due to not having a record player, despite still owning a massive amount of vinyl singles and albums.
Although the vast majority of those I've been able to source online or by buying CD's there is still a fair few that I've never seen in a digital format.
Probably because I was one of the few that liked some of them, and actually paid good money for them at the time? :)
Also some of the classic punk era tunes just don't seem to be available in their original versions anymore, e.g Sound of the suburbs, Gary Gilmore's eyes, Tomorrow's girls which seem to be only available online or on compilation albums in an alternative form.