Vinyl #34 - Bob Marley & The Wailers

"Could You Be Loved" (7" single)

This single sparks a lot of memories. Specifically​,​ dancing to it on a Saturday night at Nero's, the premier (ahem) nightclub in Portsmouth, located opposite the pier in Southsea (since pulled down and replaced with a development of apartments on the land apparently owned by one Mr H​.​ Redknapp).

​This song was where Bob Marley broke ​out of the reggae-only brigade, cleverly maintaining his roots, but adding a gloss of commercialism which significantly widened his audience.

Anyway, I didn't care about all of that, I just danced to it on the multi-coloured uplit floor (think Saturday Night Fever) at Nero's. Happy daze.

It's a difficult song not to at least shake a leg at.

Here's the music:

https://youtu.be/g3t6YDnGXAc

Vinyl #33 - The Jam

"When You're Young"/"Smithers-Jones" (7" single)

Back in the days when bands regularly recorded and issued singles that were not included on albums, The Jam were one of the finest exponents of this fine thing to do.

'When You're Young' is arguably their finest 'stand-alone' single (although 'Strange Town' may run it close). A brilliant slab of Weller's anger-pop, a paean to youth, a celebration of not-being-old. 

Released in August 1979 just before my 17th birthday, it spoke directly to me and I lapped it up. Look at the picture sleeve, how young do Paul, Rick and Bruce look? The latter in classic mod black Fred Perry polo, Paul in paisley shirt a la Small Faces.

This was The Jam at their prime.

The B-side 'Smithers-Jones' is unusual in that it was written and sung by bassist Bruce Foxton (apart from the coda which Weller barks out). It's a very endearing tale of work and commuting, apparently based on his father as he undertook the daily slog to London only to be made redundant. This is the band version of the song, interestingly an orchestral (yes, orchestral!) version appears on The Jam's seminal near-concept album 'Setting Sons' released some three months later.

Here's the music:

https://youtu.be/kX2HHGIP3io

https://youtu.be/PMqm_UfONlE

Vinyl #32 - Patti Smith Group

"Because The Night" (7" single)

I'm not and never have been a great fan of Patti Smith's sonic output (the best thing she has done was her excellent memoirs book 'Just Kids').

However...her biggest hit is the exception - probably because it's co-written with Bruce Springsteen. It was actually a Bruce reject (he recorded a version for one of his early albums but rejected it, although since Patti had a hit with it he's since played it live) but Patti wrote a different set of lyrics and hey presto, a bona fide top 5 hit in the UK in 1978.

In fact it sounds like The Boss but with a woman's voice, the music is just like the E Street band, the driving melody keeps going and then lifts even higher. It's without doubt Patti Smith's best vocal performance and really is an all time classic single. Nice picture sleeve as well. Here's the music:

https://youtu.be/c_BcivBprM0

Vinyl #31 - Adam & The Ants

"Car Trouble" (7" single)

I'd really enjoyed Adam & The Ants 1979 album 'Dirk Wears White Sox' (I remember listening to it over and over at a girlfriend's house - she owned the album, I didn't). This was before Adam Ant hit the big time with his run of radio-friendly, chart-topping singles and albums. And before the make-up and tassles - dandy highwayman indeed!!

'Dirk Wears White Sox' is darker, seedier and much more left-field.

'Cartrouble' was one of the tracks on the album, and the single is a re-recorded version released in March 1980. It's much more radio-friendly and you can start to hear the mellowing of Adam into the pop star he became. The re-recording on the single is played by a different set of Ants than were on the album; it's the Ants who played on the big hits. So I've always seen this single as the sound of a band in transition - from cult act to mass market.

It's still a cracking song though, here it is:

https://youtu.be/moyoi0ysiE8

Vinyl #30 - Alternative TV

"Action Time Vision" (7" single)

Alternative TV were the brainchild of Mark Perry whose main claim to fame was in 1976 creating the first and best fanzine of the punk era - 'Sniffin' Glue'. A certain Danny Baker - a fellow Deptford boy - contributed with articles and we all know what happened to him. More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sniffin%27_Glue

Like me, Perry was a bank clerk in real life who like a lot of us wanted to play punk music rather than write about it (he managed it, it took me over 20 years!).

Most of ATV's music was pretty ordinary to be honest but I bought this 1978 single because I've always liked it's energy - typical punk/pop fare but that's no bad thing. It's the only thing I own by them, the front cover is a mini-classic too. Here's the music:

https://youtu.be/ysPSqtCaDAk

Vinyl #29 - Jonathan Richman

"Roadrunner" (7" single, no picture sleeve)



I saw Jonathan Richman live at a gig in Portsmouth a few years ago - just him and an acoustic guitar along with a drummer. Fantastic in a quirky, individual way. 

I'm pretty sure this was after he became semi-famous from his appearance up a tree singing the title track to the hit movie "There's something about Mary". See https://youtu.be/v1Ev4kebjq0

Several versions of "Roadrunner" were recorded in 1972 before this version was released and was a hit in 1977. Even this version was actually recorded in 1974, which just shows that there's a time and a place for everything. 

This was Richman's big hit (although he did have another one called "Egyptian Reggae") "Roadrunner" is classic early US indie rock, living the song's title with driving guitars, bass and drums - the early 70's influence of the Velvet Underground is very apparent. All delivered with Richman's quirky (that word again) vocal delivery. It was a great radio hit, and still stands up. It also features a brilliant ending (I love a good ending).

Interestingly the A-side (above) is credited to Jonathan Richman whilst the B-side (below) is yet another (slower) version credited to his backing band The Modern Lovers.

Here's "Roadrunner Once": https://youtu.be/6ZWoJ8_75Mo

And here's "Roadrunner Twice": https://youtu.be/lJAUoBe6K7A

Vinyl #28 - The Smiths

"Ask" (7" single)



One of a string of brilliant singles by The Smiths, "Ask" was released in 1986 - and despite being 32 years old for goodness sake, it still stacks up pretty well. Most great singles don't clock in over three minutes and this was no exception.

Johnny Marr's trademark guitars are there, multi-tracked to provide a wall of sound and Morrissey comes up with his usual lyrical tomfoolery. All in all, it could only be The Smiths.

At the time I bought all their albums and singles, often the latter didn't appear on any original album ("Ask" doesn't). Mrs P and I also saw them live at Portsmouth Guildhall in 1985, and they were certainly a great live act too. Marr is one of the all-time great guitarists in my opinion. Support that night came from an emerging Mancunian band called James...

As ever with The Smiths' releases the cover was also a work of art. This time featuring Yootha Joyce of 'George & Mildred' fame.

Here's the music:

https://youtu.be/zoo9Vu1a9bU