The Workhouse - The End Of The Pier

The Workhouse's excellent debut album "The End of the Pier".
It was given to me by a member of the band several years back, and if I hadn't known him this probably would have passed me by as I can't say that I'd ever searched for bands in the genre of "Shoegaze" or "Ethereal".
So glad he did as this is a terrific album despite some of the odd song titles, Ricketts, Gudni and Stoichkov are all footballers :) My favourite track is "Trading Estate".
Mostly instrumentals, although the lack of vocals isn't a drawback.

At one time they were getting really good reviews and did sessions on the John Peel show and London's XFM, a bit of bad luck as they were possibly the last band to be booked by Peel before his untimely death, he really liked them.
Gave me an insight into how near and far fame can be as bands like "the Editors" were gigging around with them a few years back and they've gone on to international success while the Workhouse guys still have to work for a living.
Hopefully they'll make it big one day? a third album is being worked on but still a little way off.
Posted now as I guess anyone who was going to buy the album has already bought it, and if I can do anything to help bring the name back to people's attention it might get them a few more bums on seats :)

01 Steelworks Sea And Sky
02 Peacon
03 Ice Cream Van
04 The Ship
05 John Noakes
06 Mouse
07 Stoichkov
08 Paper Plane
09 Never Kill Your Dreams
10 Ricketts
11 Trading Estate
12 Vienetta
13 Goodbye Gudni
14 The End Of The Pier
15 Trading Estate (Alternate Version) (Bonus Track)

Half Man Half Biscuit - Cammell Laird Social Club

It's hard to pick a favourite album from Half Man Half Biscuit as every one has it's merits, this one is probably the one for the only reason that I played it a lot more than the others, playing it continuously for weeks in my car on the long trip to work.
She's in Broadstairs is my pick of the bunch, but the rest are great as well.
Obviously aimed at the UK market, but still worth a listen even if some of the references mean nothing to anyone overseas.

01 - The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train)
02 - When The Evening Sun Goes Down
03 - San Antonio Foam Party
04 - Them's The Vagaries
05 - If I Had Possession Over Pancake Day
06 - The Referee's Alphabet
07 - She's In Broadstairs
08 - Tyrolean Knockabout
09 - Breaking News
10 - 27 Yards Of Dental Floss
11 - Paradise Lost (You're The Reason Why)
12 - Thy Damnation Slumbereth Not
13 - Stavanger Toestub

Various Artists - Cover Versions

I tend to either love or hate cover versions, if they are too similar to the original I'll label them as shite, or if a band has put their own distinctive mark on them I usually love them.
Here is a totally random selection, by no means the best and probably not even including all my favourites (just ones that sprung to mind without having to search too hard).
A lot with punk influence but enough of other genres to make it interesting.
Everyone has their favourites and their own opinions I looked up a couple of articles on top rated covers and to be honest hated most of them.

Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal
Anti Nowhere League - Streets Of London
Bad Manners - The First Cut Is The Deepest
Bauhaus - Ziggy Stardust
Beat - Tears Of A Clown
Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone
Bomb The Bass - Say A Little Prayer
Clash - Police And Thieves
Cramps - Route 66
Damned - Ballroom Blitz
Devo - (I Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction
Dickies - Nights In White Satin
Echo And The Bunnymen - People Are Strange
Elbow - Independent Woman
Fall - Gotta See Jane
Flying Lizards - What's New Pussycat
Green Day - Working Class Hero
Green Jelly - Three Little Pigs
Jam - Batman Theme
Johnny Cash - Hurt
Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers - Wheels On The Bus
King Kurt - Ghost Riders In The Sky
Limp Bizkit - Behind Blue Eyes
Madness - It Must Be Love
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes - Leaving On A Jet Plane
Modettes - Paint It Black
Motorhead - God Save The Queen
Muse - Feeling Good
Ramones - What A Wonderful World
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground
Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Saints - Lipstick On Your Collar
Sid Vicious - My Way
Siouxsie And The Banshees - Helter Skelter
Slits - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Television Personalities - Mr Brightside
Tenpole Tudor - Rock Around The Clock
Tori Amos - Rattlesnakes
Toy Dolls - Blue Suede Shoes
White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
-------------------------------------
Abrasive Wheels - Jailhouse Rock
All Seeing I - Beat Goes On
Amateur Transplants - London Underground (Going Underground)
Amy Winehouse - Cupid
Avalanches - Do You Know The Way To San Jose
B52's - Downtown
Billy Bragg - She's Leaving Home
Bjork And PJ Harvey - Satisfaction (Live)
Buzzcocks - Ballroom Blitz
Cult - Born To Be Wild
Dead Kennedys - Viva Las Vegas
Devo - Working In A Coalmine
Eddie And The Hot Rods - Gloria
Elvis Costello - She
Farmer's Boys - In The Country
Fatima Mansions - Everything I Do
Flying Lizards - Sex Machine
Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Suffragette City
Fun Lovin Criminals - We Have All The Time In The World
Ian Brown - Billie Jean
Judge Dread - Al Capone
Kate Bush - Rocket Man
Little Nell - Fever
Manic Street Preachers - Suicide Is Painless (Theme From Mash)
OK Go - Ant Music
Plastic Bertrand - Sha La La La Lee
Presidents Of The USA - Video Killed the Radio Star
Rezillos - Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight
Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding
Rocket From The Crypt - Press Darlings
Sex Pistols - (I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone
Specials - Return Of The Django
Splodgenessabounds - Two Little Boys
Stranglers - 96 Tears
Thirty Nine Lyon Street (Billy McKenzie) - Kites
Vice Squad - Teenage Rampage
Vinnie Jones - Wooly Bully
Wall Of Voodoo - Ring Of Fire
Weezer - Uptown Girl
Who - Summer Time Blues (Live)
 -------------------------------------
Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias - Anarchy In The UK
Bad Manners - Wet Dream
Beautiful South - Everybody's Talking At Me
Billy Bragg And The Blokes - Billericay Dickie
Carter USM - The Impossible Dream
Count Bishops - Route 66
Damned - Eloise
Dickies - Paranoid
Divine Comedy - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Faith No More - Easy
Fratellis - Solid Gold Easy Action
Jane Aire And The Belvederes - Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache
Jet Bumpers - Radar Love
John Otway - Space Oddity
Leningrad Cowboys - These Boots Are Made For Walking
Manic Street Preachers - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World (Unplugged)
Offspring - I Wanna Be Sedated
Radio Stars - Dear Prudence
Ramones - Baby I Love You
Rezillos - I Like It
Selecter - James Bond
Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Delilah
Sex Pistols - Substitute
Sexgang Children - As Tears Go By
Sham 69 - You're A Better Man Than I
Siouxsie And The Banshees - The Passenger
Snow Patrol - Isolation
Soft Cell - What
Specials - Double Barrel
Spizzenergi - Virginia Plain
Splodgenessabounds - Wiffy Woman (Pretty Woman)
Stranglers - Walk On By
Stray Cats - Something Else
Suggs - Cecilia
Vandals - Hocus Pocus
Vic Reeves - Born Free
Wedding Present - Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Wreckless Eric - Clever Trevor
XTC - All Along The Watchtower
 -------------------------------------
Ataris - The Boys Of Summer
Billy Idol - Mony Mony
Bjork - You Only Live Twice
Blue Rondo A La Turk - I Spy (For The FBI)
Blues Brothers - Rawhide
Bronski Beat - It Ain't Necessarily So
Clash - I Fought The Law
Colourfield - Windmills Of Your Mind
Decemberists - Human Behaviour
Human League - Get Carter
J Church - Girlfriend In A Coma
Jam - David Watts
Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros - Redemption Song
Kaiser Chiefs - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Keane - With Or Without You
Killers - Shadowplay
Kirsty MacColl - A New England
L7 - Hanging On The Telephone
Lawnmower Deth - Up The Junction
Manic Street Preachers - Umbrella
 -------------------------------------
Marianne Faithfull - The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
Marilyn Manson - Down In The Park
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes - Seasons In The Sun
Mint Royale - Singin' In The Rain
Morrissey - That's Entertainment
Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes
Nazareth - This Flight Tonight
New York Dolls - (Give Him A) Great Big Kiss
No Doubt - It's My Life
No Way Sis - I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing
Rubinoos - I Think We're Alone Now
Siouxsie And The Banshees - This Wheel's On Fire
Skids - All The Young Dudes
Stranglers - All Day And All Of The Night
Suggs - Alright
Supergrass - Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
Terry Hall - Music To Watch Girls By
The King - Come As You Are
Toyah - Echo Beach
U96 - Das Boot
 -------------------------------------

Generation X - Generation X

I always thought of Generation X as plastic punks, not to say I didn't like them (I did) but they seemed a bit too clean compared to a lot of the bands around at the time.
Here is the CD version of their debut album plus a few extras.
The track listing is different from the original vinyl with Gimme some truth not even included?

01 From The Heart
02 One Hundred Punks
03 Listen
04 Ready Steady Go
05 Kleenex
06 Promises Promises
07 Day By Day
08 The Invisible Man
09 Kiss Me Deadly
10 Too Personal
11 Youth Youth Youth
12 Your Generation
13 Wild Youth
14 Wild Dub
15 Trying For Kicks
16 This Heat

Inspiral Carpets - Life

The Inspirals released this album in early 1990 after signing with Mute records and it hit number 2 in the chart.
It features 2 of the best singles "This is how it feels" and "She comes in the fall".

1. Real Thing
2. Song For A Family
3. Commercial Rain *
4. This Is How It Feels
5. Directing Traffik
6. Many Happy Returns
7. Memories Of You
8. She Comes In The Fall
9. Monkey On My Back
10. Sun Don't Shine
11. Inside My Head
12. Move
13. Weakness *
14. Biggest Mountain *
15. I'll Keep It In Mind *
16. Sackville

This is the American release with 4 extra tracks, although "Besides Me" from the UK release is missing.

Stray Cats - Runaway Boys

Debut hit for Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats, top tune.

A - Runaway Boys
B - My One Desire

Joe Jackson - It's Different For Girls

Actually preferred this one, still sounds brilliant 30 years later.

A - It's Different For Girls
B - Friday

Cranberries - Zombie

Awesome track from the Cranberries, the opening rates amongst my all time favourites.

A - Zombie
B - Away

Joe Jackson - Is She Really Going Out With Him

This one turns up on a lot of punk compilations, but Joe could hardly be called punk? but it's still a great track and I'll always associate it with that era.

A - Is She Really Going Out With Him
B - You Got The Fever

Space - Magic Fly

A disco classic from Space (the French band, nothing to do with the English band from the Nineties).
Magic Fly came out in 1977 and really was something new and exciting at the time although it's sounds dated now, Carry On Turn Me On actually came out around the same time and as far as I remember was a hit in America, and was only available as an import at the time.

Magic Fly
Ballad For Space Lovers

Carry On Turn Me On
Tango In Space

Cranberries - I Can't Be With You

I didn't buy much vinyl in the Nineties but made an exception for these brilliant Cranberries tracks, this one has a great Carpenters cover on the B side.

A - I Can't Be With You
B - (They Long To Be) Close To You

Grange Hill Cast - Just Say No

I never owned this one and to be honest didn't like it, but my other half said I should put up one of her records.
Given the choice of some of the crap :) she owns I justify this one as the message behind the song is a good one and the money raised from it went to a worthy cause.
For anyone who doesn't know Grange Hill is a UKTV kids show set in a school, and the idea for the song came after a storyline about one of the kids getting hooked on drugs.
It was big news at the time as a lot of people didn't like the fact that drug use was being shown on a BBC kids show, but a campaign was launched to raise drug awareness and this record released so everyone was happy.

A - Just Say No
B - Just Say No (Instrumental)

Lene Lovich - Say When

Just brilliant from Lene Lovich.

A - Say When
B - One Lonely Heart

Lene Lovich - Bird Song

Weird and wonderful from Lene Lovich, the B side is an unexpected fairground tune.

A - Bird Song
B - Trixi

Lene Lovich - Lucky Number

The one that introduced most of us to Lene Lovich, odd but brilliant.

A - Lucky Number
B - Home

Ashton Gardener And Dyke - The Resurrection Shuffle

Mouldy oldie time, a 1970 classic in it's original atmospheric vinyl form, or in other words it crackles and pops like a 40 year old bit of plastic that's seen better days.
The A side isn't too bad but the B has suffered a bit.

A - The Resurrection Shuffle
B - Hymn To Everyone

Various Artists - The Sounds Machine EP2

I assume this one came with Sounds magazine? 4 varying tracks opening with a live track from the underrated Living Colour, followed by a great track by the Screaming Blue Messiahs who seem to have suffered the same fate as the Toy Dolls in being only remembered for a novelty hit by the masses when they actually did some really good stuff.
The Queensryche track is ok metal, not really my thing (there is a jump in this one due to it getting stuck, tried to fix it but couldn't), the final track is by Voivod who were new to me, listed as a heavy metal band but this track could pass as punk.

Living Colour - Open Letter (To A Landlord)
Screaming Blue Messiahs - Sweet Water Pools
Queensryche - Revolution Calling
Voivod - Too Scared To Scream

Various Artists - Sure Beat EP

Another Record Mirror compilation EP, Tracks 3 and 4 are available on albums, track 1 was unavailable elsewhere at the time of release, and track 2 was an exclusive.
The S'express track is the oddest and I would never have guessed it was by them if I didn't know, the end of the track sounds like it jumps back but I'm sure that's how it's supposed to sound?

01 Bomb The Bass - Megablast (Original Rap Version)
02 S Express - Coma
03 Wee Papa Girl Rappers - You Got The Beat
04 DJ Jazzy Jeff And Fresh Prince - Here We Go Again

Various Artists - On The Chart EP

First of 3 EP's given away with Music papers, this one came with Record Mirror and features album tracks by Inxs and Black, an exclusive remix of the Neneh Cherry tune and an unreleased (at the time) Transvision Vamp track.

Inxs - Johnson's Aeroplane
Transvision Vamp - Child Of The Age
Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance (The There's Nothing Wrong Sukka Mix II)
Black - You Don't Always Do What's Best For You

Rick Wright R I P

I probably don't come across as a fan of Pink Floyd, but when I was getting into music seriously in the mid seventies Pink Floyd were a major influence.
So I'm sad to hear that keyboard player Rick Wright died of cancer the other day aged 65.
Although slightly forgotten behind Waters and Gilmour, he was a vital part of the band, and I'd recommend watching the Live at Pompeii video to see his performance on the Echoes track.

Shame

Generation X - Valley Of The Dolls

Came on "Puke coloured vinyl", despite that it's a great track from Mr Idol and the band.

A - Valley Of The Dolls
B - Shakin All Over

Generation X - King Rocker

Another classic punk tune.
This song was available with multiple covers and vinyl colours featuring the band members.
Red vinyl with Billy Idol, Yellow with Mark Laff, Orange Vinyl with Bob Andrews and I had the Pink vinyl with Tony James picture on the front.
Never liked them enough to buy all 4 versions, also all the shops round our way only seemed to stock the pink one anyway?

A - King Rocker
B - Gimme Some Truth (Live Peel Show 12th July 1977)

Devo - Come Back Jonee

Another great song from Devo, this one came on ugly Grey vinyl.
Think I mucked up the cover as it had a sticker over the green face which I removed for some reason? and managed to lose.

A - Come Back Jonee
B - Social Fools

Siouxsie And The Banshees - Mittageisen

The single release was the German version whereas the English version featured on Siouxsie's debut album "The Scream".

01 - Mittageisen (Metal Postcard)
02 - Love In A Void

Killing Joke - Love Like Blood

Another superb single from Killing Joke, an eighties highlight.

A - Love Like Blood
B - Blue Feather (Version)

Killing Joke - Adorations

I really love a lot of Killing Joke's singles but the albums don't really stick in the memory, maybe I just need to play them over and over again which sometimes changes my opinion (worked on the last Portishead album which I wasn't keen on at first but love now).

A - Adorations
B - Exile

Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster

Absolute classic Punk from SLF, Guaranteed to be on any "best of" punk compilation.
This is a substantial piece of plastic (as in the disc is twice as thick as most) :)
Personally think SLF never bettered this.

Amazing to think that some of the all time great punk tunes like this never hit the Top 40, considering some of the shit that makes the charts?

A - Alternative Ulster
B - 78 R.P.M

Pete Shelley - No One Like You

Following this loose theme of songs by Punk/New Wave band members here's a solo from the Buzzcocks frontman Pete Shelley, great tune.
He released quite a few solo singles and albums but none really troubled the chart? which just goes to show a lot of people have no taste :-)

A - (Millions Of People) No One Like You
B - If You Ask Me (I Won't Say No)

Bruce Foxton - Freak

Jam bassist Bruce Foxton's only solo hit, which considering his great vocals on a few of the Jam's biggest hits was a surprise.
Paul Weller obviously went on to have a lot of success but Bruce drifted around after the Jam split, later joing Stiff Little Fingers.

Blah Blah ........
One of the main problem with Vinyls is that sometimes they get stuck, the B-side of this one was playing along nicely until about 3 minutes then it refused to go any further... lot's of cleaning and a final wipe with the old favourite "fairy liquid" eventually did the trick :-)

A - Freak
B - Writing On The Wall

Rezillos - Destination Venus

Strangely the Rezillos/Revillos only had one Top 40 hit? and this wasn't the one even though it's one brilliant pop song.

A - Destination Venus
B - Mystery Action

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Messages

First Top 40 hit for OMD, and as far as I'm concerned their best.

A - Messages
B - Taking Sides Again

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Electricity

Debut single from OMD and still one of the best.
Was never quite sure until I checked recently if this record was the debut, as I'd bought one called Red Frame White Light before this, and I'm still not sure if it's the 79 re-issue or the 80 Re-issue, all I know is it's not the Factory records original (as far as I know it wasn't remixed for any of them?, so it shouldn't matter as far as listening is concerned).

A - Electricity
B - Almost

Good and Bad

Thanks to all bloggers and people who upload stuff for others for no financial reward :)
Shows there is still some lovely genuine people around who don't do everything for money :)

Special thanks for my trouble free download of the Starland Vocal Band album, although I've now started to question if this is becoming a dangerous obsession :)
because why would anyone actually want 20 tracks by the Starland Vocal Band??

Squeeze - Cool For Cats

Probably the most famous Squeeze song, just brilliant in my opinion.
Always wondered if the BBC would ban this, obviously didn't understand the "I'm invited in for coffee, and I give the dog a bone" lyric thankfully :)

A - Cool For Cats
B - Model

Squeeze - Take Me I'm Yours

One of only 2 Squeeze singles I ever owned on Black vinyl, they certainly liked to use the coloured vinyls and other gimmicks.
Cool for Cats came on Pink vinyl, Up the Junction was purple and I remember others on red, clear, Green and other colour vinyls and Goodbye Girl was in a heavily embossed cover that just didn't look right on the shelf (sold that one for a pound and later found out it was worth a lot more sadly).

A - Take Me I'm Yours
B - Night Nurse

Flying Lizards - Money

The other more famous single from the Flying Lizards, the B is an interesting remix :)
If you get the chance listen to an album of covers by them called "Top Ten" - unique stuff :)

A - Money
B - Money B

Specials - Ghost Town

This one hit number 1 in the chart in 1981 and is one of the best songs of the 80's.Also featured in a couple of my favourite films Snatch and Shaun of the Dead.

01 Ghost town
02 Why?
03 Friday night Saturday morning