Vinyl #26 - Stiff Little Fingers

"Gotta Gettaway" (7" single)




Another brilliant single from Ulster's Stiff Little Fingers and another great release from the Rough Trade label.

If memory serves me correctly this was their first single following their debut album "Inflammable Material", so all us SLF fans eagerly awaited this new material. They kept the winning formula of Jake Burn's rasping vocals, power chords and catchy hooks. 

What made SLF stand apart was their lyrics - telling stories from an Ulster that was in an ongoing state of civil unrest. But these stories weren't a distorted view from one side of the religious divide, they told the human story, how it felt to be a helpless teenager with civil war literally outside your door.

It made for powerful music, and one that I think stands the test of time.

Here's the music:

https://youtu.be/_uDLjxyZGI0

Vinyl #25 - The Skids

"Sweet Suburbia" (7" single)

Having bought their debut EP on the Dunfermline-based independent No Bad Records label in 1977 (more of that in a future post), this was The Skids first release for the major label they had just signed - Virgin Records. Released September 1978.

As an early purchaser I managed to get it on rather fetching white vinyl; it was catchy, well produced and showcased The Skids knack for great lyrics (courtesy of lead singer Richard Jobson) and superb guitar playing (by the late Stuart Adamson who found more popularity with his post-Skids band Big Country).

I saw the band live in September 1978 supporting The Stranglers at Portsmouth Locarno and they could certainly cut it live as well.

As was often the case in those days, the B-side "Open Sound" is also worth a listen.

Here's the music:

https://youtu.be/CFT8cnQmiNA

https://youtu.be/6RoE8CtsPpM

Vinyl #24 - Teenage Fanclub

"Long Shot" (7" single)



World Cup theme this time.

Teenage Fanclub are one of my two favourite bands, and this one-off single was released at the height of their most creative period. Signed to the highly influential Creation Records (home to Oasis, Primal Scream, The Jesus and Mary Chain and numerous other influential bands), in their usual non-commercial way TFC decided to write an instrumental song for BBC Radio 5's 1998 World Cup programmes (France hosted in '98).

In the end I don't think the BBC took up their kind offer. So they released it as a limited edition, pressing only 3,000 copies on 7" vinyl. And I've got one. Basically I buy anything that the Fannies release as they've never released anything that's anything other than exceptional. 

Having said that, I rarely play this although it's a catchy tune and to these ears it's easily recognisable as being them  Anyway if nothing else at least it's topical...

Here's the song:

https://youtu.be/NWIN5DdUedQ

Vinyl #23 - Bob Marley & The Wailers

"Redemption Song" (7" single)



Not really too much to say about this other than I love this song as much now as I did when I bought it in October 1980.

And that was a mere seven months before Marley died in May 1981 - aged 36. Not a hint of reggae in this beautiful acoustic ballad, although the B-side is the full Wailers treatment of the song. It's good but not a patch on the solo version on the A-side.

Heartfelt lyrics that are as relevant now as they were then. Unfortunately.



Here's the music: https://youtu.be/OFGgbT_VasI

Vinyl #22 - The Police

"Message in a Bottle" (7" single- green vinyl)

Always had a soft spot for The Police and this single was their big breakthrough. Although Sting dominates, it was Andy Summers who came up with the memorable guitar riff, and Stewart Copeland's drumming is top drawer, as ever.

Little did I know when I bought this (coloured vinyl was all the rage then) that I would move to the Leatherhead area years later, and this is exactly where The Police recorded it (and their first two albums). To be precise it was at Surrey Sound Studios in Kingston Road. It's no longer a recording studio, but every time I drive past the building I smile at the thought of such classic and legendary music being made there. 

In little Leatherhead. Who'd have thought it?

Here's the music which of course you know already:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbXWrmQW-OE


 

Vinyl #21 - The Stranglers

"Sverige (Jag ar insnoad pa ostfronten)" (7" single)

I always loved The Stranglers - the first band I saw live. I loved them so much that in the first few years of their existence I bought everything they released - including a few imports.

Their initial output was phenomenal - first album ("Rattus Norvegicus") released in April 1977; then in September 1977 a mere five - yes five - months later a second album ("No More Heroes") and then in May 1978 a third album ("Black and White"). Plus assorted non-album singles and b-sides.

And it's from that brilliant third album that this single was taken - with a catch. It was only released in Sweden and was sung in Swedish. The English-language version was only ever an album track ("Sweden - All Quiet On The Eastern Front"). It contains a fantastic and typically Stranglerish keyboard and guitar motif (at 2.01 mins on link below)

But being the Stranglers freak I bought it - which was only possible via mail order. The NME used to have pages of adverts to order records by post, but I must have been sooo excited when this plopped on the map. 

I knew the song was about how grey and boring Sweden was (is?) - based on singer/guitarist Hugh Cornwell's time there doing post-graduate research. And it was so typically contrary for them to record a version in Swedish and release it there. For that reason alone I prefer this version even though I can't understand it. I've no idea how it did in the charts. Not well I suspect!



Here's the music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLzGMs7vgZc

Vinyl #20 - The Ruts

"West One (Shine On Me)" (7" single)

I'd  become aware of The Ruts via the John Peel radio show, in particular their excellent debut single "In A Rut" and they subsequently had a top 10 hit with "Babylon's Burning" (and appearances on Top Of The Pops etc).

But this was the only single of theirs that I ever bought and I think it was the best thing they did - showing how far they had developed since their debut single only a couple of years before, and brilliantly showing off their rock, reggae and dub influences. 

It was also released only a month or so after the death of lead singer Malcolm Owen which obviously put a halt to their career (although the remaining members eventually continued as Ruts DC and still tour and record today)

Here's the music: https://youtu.be/-s8k0GtLZ4o