Remember Music Videos?

Cast your mind way,way,way back when MTV stood for Music Tele Vision and  they actually showed such a thing as music videos.....I realize it's from a bygone era of Beta Max,Walkmans,Rubix Cubes etc etc but such a thing did exist......I know it's hard to believe.
MTV hit the airwaves here in 81 even though not everyone could get access to it,meanwhile back in dear old Blighty there was no such thing,we relied on Top Of The Pops maybe showing a music video,the advent of the Video Juke Box in pubs was a saving grace for me,I spent many a happy couple of hours in a public house that had such a contraption,what was the point of bands making these wonderful videos if you couldn't watch them??

On my first trip to America in 85 I was treated to "Friday Night Videos" on NBC at 12.30am,90 minutes of music videos this was just unheard of back home,a  whole show devoted to music videos....no wonder I wanted to move here....of course when I did make the move in 87 NBC cut it from 90 mins to an hour and pushed it back to 1.30am but still it was an hour of music videos!!!
It would be a while b4 I finally got cable by which time MTV had added a two hour show showcasing quote unquote "alternative music" called simply "120 Minutes" beginning in 86 but at midnite on a Sunday.
Between years of no cable,then cable but no vcr or even worse having to work the 11pm -7am graveyard shift I missed more "120 Minutes" shows than I saw
By 2000 it had found a new home on MTV2 but w/in three was cancelled,video may've killed the radio star but it seemed MTV had now killed off "120 Minutes"

Thankfully these days it can be found airing three times a week on VH1 Classic,albeit at 4am but thanks to my trusty vcr I can preset it to record and sit back and watch when it's convenient for me.
It's fun to catch old videos or maybe videos I haven't seen b4 or for a while,in a recent edition these were some of the videos that had me waxing lyrical for days gone by

Killing Joke-A New Day
REM-Can't Get There From Here
A-ha The Sun Always Shines On TV
Blur-There's No Other Way
Oasis-Champagne Supernova
New Order-Perfect Kiss
School Of Fish-Three Strange Days
Midnight Oil-Beds Are Burning
The Cure-Hot Hot Hot
Alice In Chains-Down In A Hole
Sisters Of Mercy-This Corrosion
Ministry-Jesus Built My Hotrod
Nirvana-The Man Who Sold The World
Pearl Jam-Betterman
Rage Against The Machine-Testify

The Red Coats Are Coming

In honour of St George's Day yesterday here's a mix tape I made back in the mid 90's,the obvious Britpop influence is all over this collection.

Sing-Blur
Round Are Way-Oasis
Mile End-Pulp
Monkey-Bush
Connection-Elastica
Hey Dude-Kula Shaker
Sour Times-Portishead
I Wanna Be Adored-Stone Roses
#1 Crush-Garbage
Stop Whispering-Radiohead
I Wanna Touch You-Catherine Wheel
Inbetweener-Sleeper
Trouble In The Message Center-Blur
Headshrinker-Oasis
Common People-Pulp
Swallowed-Bush
Stutter-Elastica
Tattva-Kula Shaker
Wandering Star-Portishead
Ten Storey Love Song-Stone Roses
Vow-Garbage
Fake Plastic Trees-Radiohead
Crank-Catherine Wheel
Sale Of The Century-Sleeper

Kicking Off W/ Killing Joke

Last nite at Union Transfer saw the beginning of what I've dubbed "Philly's 80's Palooza"
Between last nite and Sept 4th over a dozen 80's acts have announced dates here in the City Of Brotherly Love,talk about "start as you mean to go on!"

To mark their 35th anniversary which in of it's self is a remarkable fete Jez and Geordie are on the road to promote their retrospective "The Singles Collection" a audio feast of Killing Joke songs from their 1980 self titled debut through last years "MMXII" there is a little something for everyone on this tour.
My introduction to "Notting Hill's finest" was 85's "Night Time" which yielded three kick arse singles "Eighties" "Love Like Blood" and "Kings And Queens" of which the first two songs made last nites set list,it would be churlish to whine that "Kings & Queens" not making it,afterall there were plenty of tunes from their  15 studio albums to make up the setlist from  "Requiem" "Wardance" and "The Wait" off of "Killing Joke to"Corporate Elect" off of "MMXII.

If the kink in my neck today is anything to go by Killing Joke have lost none of their vim and vigor since they first assaulted our ears w/ their "Turn To Red" EP. back in 79,miss them on this tour at your peril!

Eighties Mix Tape Volume 2

The Party's Over-Talk Talk
Please Don't Make Me Cry-UB40
Left Of Center-Suzanne Vega
Don't You Know What The Night Can Do-Steve Winwood
Nobody's Diary-Yazoo
Newtown Jericho-The Alarm
Stand Down Margaret-The Beat
World's Apart-Cactus World News
Sign Your Name-Terrence Trent D'Arby
Would I Lie To You-The Eurythmics
Two Tribes-Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Goodbye Girl-Go West
Nobody's Fool-Haircut 100
This Time-Inxs
Nightporter-Japan
If This Is it-Huey Lewis & The News
One Step Beyond-Madness
Blue Monday-New Order

Thinking Inside The Box

Like most of my favourite 80's bands my Thompson Twins collection was mainly vinyl,the seminal albums "Quick Step & Side Kick" and "Into The Gap" plus a ton of 12'' singles,I kept telling myself I'd upgrade "Side Kick" and "Gap" to cd but never seemed to follow through w/ it.
Then came the reissues w/ bonus tracks.....this seemed too good an offer to pass up but when you have a "want list" that resembles I 95 it's not always easy to get every cd you have your heart set on...........
When Edsel Records{the same people who reissued the Blancmange albums on cd} put out  the 8 cd Thompson Twins Box I was all over that like a coat of paint!!!

Asides from now having "A Product Of" "Set" and "Here's To Future Days" in my collection I also had all my old 12'' singles too plus being "reunited" w/ some favourite album tracks I hadn't heard in eons....talk about Xmas come early when I bought it!!!
Here's a cd/album review.

A Product Of
I love the lead off track "When I See You" which has featured on "Land Of The Lost" a couple of times.....but the rest of the album leaves me cold,in fairness when I bought the box set it was my first exposure to the album so maybe after a few more plays it will grow on me...or not

Set
This is more like it! I cut my teeth w/ the Thompson Twins on "In The Name Of Love" and "Runaway" in 82 although it remains a mystery how neither were hits in the UK charts, my early clubbing days introduced me to the wonders of Tom,Alannah and Joe.
"In The Name Of Love" was a #1 in the US Dance charts.....{haven't we covered this in previous blog entries!!??} and along w/ "Runaway" both have the extended remixes on the reissue.
Interesting footnote,one Thomas Dolby features on the synth on three tracks:"The Rowe" "Runaway" and "Fool's Gold"...as if I didn't have enough reasons to be giddy about "Runaway"!!!!

Quick Step & Side Kick
The game changer for the Thompson Twins,this was the album that probably introduced  a lot of people to them.
Ripe w/ hit singles "Lies'' "Love On Your Side" ''We Are Detective" and "Watching"  which all show up w/ their subsequent mixes here the album also feature two of my all time favourite Thompson Twins songs "If You Were Here" and "Kamikaze","If  You Were Here" shows up on the soundtrack to "16 Candles"....which I also believe has also been mentioned on this blog!

Into The Gap
Another album w/ hit singles to boot, ''Hold Me Now" ''Doctor! Doctor!" "You Take Me Up"and "Sister Of Mercy"
"The Gap" was also released as a single but somewhat surprisingly not in their native UK which didn't stop yours truly hunting it down on 12'' vinyl as it was a kick arse track and the bside "Out Of The Gap" a medley of previous singles,thankfully featured on the boxed set.
While not singles I still adore "Day After Day" ''Storm Of The Sea" and "Who Can Stop The Rain".

Here's To Future Days
The beginning of the end for the Twins,Joe Leeway left after this album and I didn't feel they were ever the same after that
I hate to admit this but I'd clean forgotten about "Lay Your Hands On Me" until the other day when I played the whole cd,such a great song,for me the last truly great Thompson Twins single
Other singles were "Don't Mess W/ Doctor Dream" "King For A Day" and the Beatles cover "Revolution"

Even though Tom and Alannah continued after Joe's departure it just wasn't happening anymore,there were a few more singles {but no real hits} and a few more albums but following "Queer" in 91 they called it day.
For me the boxed set represents their finest hour and serves as a great audio history of one of the 80's great groups,yes they had their critics but how many bands did Madonna dance on stage w/ at Live Aid at RFK Stadium in 85?

For Boston

In the wake of yesterdays horrific scenes from the Boston Marathon I dug out my 2005 "For Boston" marathon mix tape.
In 03 when I ran the New York City marathon I made a mix tape and then again in 04 for the Ocean City Drive marathon,and following Boston 05 I also made one for the Athens marathon.
Asides from something to listen to on my way to the marathon and back home again the Marathon Mix served as a musical reminder of the training runs that lead upto marathon day and also kept the memories alive long after crossing the finish line.

The criteria for a Marathon Mix was threefold,songs about running{der!!}songs that could inspire me during the weeks of build up and the subsequent long runs needed to tackle 26.2 miles or Battle Anthems as they became known and finally songs pertaining to the location of said marathon,here's my musical homage to Boston 05

For Boston-Dropkick Murphys
The Road-The Alarm
One Vision-Queen
Are You Ready?-Thin Lizzy
A New England-Kirsty MacColl
Union Jack-Big Audio Dynamite
Can't Stop Now-Keane
I Alone-Live
Wherever I May Roam-Metallica
Hit The Ground Running-The Doves
Anarchy In The UK-Sex Pistols
Boston Tea Party-Fish
English Blood,Irish Heart-Morrissey
Out Of Control-U2
Gas Panic-Oasis
I Can See For Miles-The Who
Dead Or Alive-Bon Jovi
Search And Destroy-EMF
I am A Patriot-Pearl Jam
Be Loud,Be Proud,Be Heard-Toyah
Good Morning Little School Girl-Rod Stewart

Just Deserts

Nobody was a bigger fan of  Blancnmange{the band not the desert!} than me back in the day,I owned all three albums and all eleven 12'' singles between  1982 and 1986.
I lucked out in November 81 when I caught Depeche Mode on their "Speak & Spell" tour,not only was it the only tour to feature Vince Clark{he quit the band the day after their November 16th show at The Lyceum} but also Blancmange opened for them.

I'd missed out on their debut "Irene And Mavis" EP and the now famous "Some Bizzare" album which featured the likes of Depeche Mode,Soft Cell,The The and B Movie but was quick to pounce on their debut single "God's Kitchen"/I've Seen The Word".
Their follow up single "Feel Me" fared better in the charts but it took their third single "Living On The Ceiling" to finally give them a top 20 hit, hitting #7 and also broke them in the US reaching #52 on the "Hot Dance Club"
Perhaps it was the mix of synths and sittar that made "Living On The Ceiling" such a hit and while the early 80's saw me and dance clubs non compatible I made the most of any opportunity my father was out which was most evenings to turn our living room into my very own Studio 54 so I could "get my groove on" to the songs that loved and bought on 12'' vinyl on  a weekly basis,I'm reasonably confident his footprint in my arse was not the fashion accessory my wardrobe required!!!

In 83 they released one more track off their "Happy Families" LP "Waves" a slower song than the two previous singles but still earned them another top 20 hit #19 b4 releasing two singles off the forthcoming sophomore effort "Mange Tout" first "Blind Vision" another top ten hit in the UK #10 and also another hit on the US "Hot Dance Club" reaching #3 b4 "That's Love That It Is" which should've done better in the UK top 40 #33 in my opinion as it rocked at least American audiences were hip to it as it reached #16 on the "Hot Dance Club"

As if to underline how fickle the pop business can be in 84 b4 they released "Mange Tout" "Don't Tell Me" gave them their third but sadly final UK top 10 hit #10 while here in the US it only reached #44.
I will never forget the nite I saw them at Hammersmith Palais on the "Mange Tout" tour it was May 24th the nite after Spurs had won a dramatic penalty shoot out to win the Ufea Cup,I was still in celebratory mood and Blancmage were in rare form in fact that show was filmed for their "Hello Good Evening" dvd which is on my list but beware it's another of those pesky NTSC format dvds which means you'll need an all region dvd player to watch it but worth it just for Neil Arthur's brilliant comeback when someone from the audience threw an empty cigarette box at him "no thanks,I've just given up" he replied in his unique Lancashire accent which underlined the humour that ran through Blancmage's music.

In a rather ballsy move they covered an Abba tune "The Day Before You Came" which I rank it as one of the great cover versions of all time and would prove to be their last hit single reaching #22.
One sensed the wheels of synthpop were beginning to turn slower come 1985,"What's Your Problem"  only just scrapped into the UK top 40 at #40 while "Lose Your Love" could only get to #77 but did give Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe a final hit on the "Hot Dance Club" reaching #2,I always though "Lose Your Love" was pretty kick arse

In 86 w/ their third album "Believe You Me" only reaching #54 after ''Happy Families" had gone to #30 and "Mange Tout" had gone to #8 in 1982 and 1984 respectively the writing was on the wall "What's Your Problem" which might've been a veiled question to the record buying British public  stalled at #71 and not long after that Blancmange called it a day.......

As of yet I still haven't picked up their 2011 reunion cd "Blanc Burn" I did however jump all over the reissue of their first three albums on cd which also featured the 12'' remixes of most if not all eleven of their singles,at least when I'm dancing my living room these days I don't have to keep one eye out for my disapproving father as my living room can be Studio 54 or any any 80's dance venue of my choosing