Vinyl #6 - The Rezillos

The Rezillos - "(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures"/"Flying Saucer Attack" (7" single)

This is just one of those records that you can't get out of your head - definitely the A1 side - '(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures'. (I've always liked a song title with brackets - see The Clash in my last post).

A brilliant melody, funny lyrics, a rocksteady beat and a up-in-the-mix bass line that doodles all over the place. What else could you want - now or in 1977?

The A2 side also crackles along although for me it never quite reaches the peaks of Sculptures.
The Rezillos were from Scotland and this was their second single, but their first for a major label. Both songs were recorded in Edinburgh and I prefer the production on these to the ever-so-slightly polished versions that they re-recorded in New York for their still fantastic debut album "Can't Stand The...Rezillos"

Their main songwriter - as with both of these songs - was Luke Warm. Not his real name of course - it was the pseudonym of guitarist Jo Callis. He left The Rezillos shortly after the album was released, joined a group called The Human League and hit the songwriting jackpot by penning many of their big hits including their biggest and multi-million selling single "Don't You Want Me Baby?"

Probably the best career move he could have made - think of the royalties.

Vinyl #5 - The Clash

The Clash - "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais"/"The Prisoner" (7" single)

I can still remember the expectation and noise when The Clash released a single, and I vividly remember the excitement about this particular purchase. These were the days when bands released singles that were not on ANY album - The Buzzcocks, The Jam et al all did it, and The Clash were no exception, this single fitting that generous strategy.

To hear The Clash in all their raw, powerful glory - before the edges were rounded off for commercial singalong succcess ('Should I Stay' 'Rock The Casbah') - this is essential listening. A powerful mix of punk and reggae, elevated to the next level by the venom of Strummer's vocal delivery of his own lyrical commentary on the factionalised and racist state of the UK in 1978. It contains the memorable line:

"If Adolf Hitler flew in today, they'd send a limousine anyway"

The production - unusually by The Clash themselves - is muddy and indistinct - and the record is all the better for it. As a stand alone piece of social commentary it is up there with the best. No fuss, no picture cover (unusual at the time), Strummer wanted you to listen up and listen carefully.

As a 16 year-old I remember buying it, rushing home, slapping it on the turntable in my bedroom and playing it over and over, gradually deciphering Strummer's lyrics. His delivery doesn't make it easy, but that's the point, you had to listen carefully, over and over till you got it - in every sense. In those days there was no internet to look up the words.

The B side is no slouch either; a Mick Jones rocker sung by him and just another quality Clash tune. Not on any album either.

A truly memorable record that stands the test of time, and is probably just as relevant today.

Vinyl #4 - The Normal

The Normal - 'T.V.O.D'/'Warm Leatherette' (7" single)

A much prized possession this single – the first record on Mute Records which was formed by one Daniel Miller who played everything on these tracks. Most people know ‘Warm Leatherette’ from the sumptuous cover of it by Grace Jones with Sly ‘n’ Robbie, but it was actually the B side, with ‘T.V.O.D’ taking first place. Both songs stood out from the crowd in 1978 – remember this was the year when punk/new wave hit its stride with blazing guitars. This really was different (whilst making a big nod to Kraftwerk, Can etc) and was a taste of what was to come in the UK in a couple of years time (paving the way for Soft Cell, Blancmange and indeed Depeche Mode).

Spurred on by the positive critical reaction Mute Records (i.e. Daniel Miller) became the home of the new UK electronica scene in the late 70's/early 80's with the first records by Depeche Mode (and look what happened to them); Yazoo (including the  ‘Only You’ smash) and later Erasure. Other less well known acts still sound like a roll-call of the hip in the early 80’s – Fad Gadget, D.E.F, The Birthday Party and the Silicon Teens (another vehicle for Daniel Miller).

In a word: hypnotic. Here are the songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5QErPDNcj4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhsQqpYEDzE