BEATFOR91 - July Singles Weekender I

Muscular, poweful and effective tunes. The Blackburn quartet of Phil Hendricks, Ian Barnes, John McVitie and Tommy O'Kane were born on a solid diet of glam rock and punk. After DJ John Peel heralded their second single, Inside Out, as 'the greatest record in the history of the universe' (will be posted), they were quickly signed up by the major record label EMI. But as punk made way for the New Wave moment and heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden, their music was shelved for the nearly two decades (Cd Compiled in 2002). This was their 3rd single plenty of power, melody and energy.

Stiffs - Volume Control [7" Z14 Records 1980]

Stiffs - Nothing To Lose [7" Z14 Records 1980]

An old favourite tune, classic straight-up power pop, always fresh. You can include it in a mix tape with many of those new pop bands. Love these guitars, the voices, the bridges are so precise. Wonderful.
The Fans was an Atlanta combo captained by Alfredo Villar and Kevin Dunn. Released three singles.
This True was later released in 1980 as double pack with “Cars & Explosions” in the Uk label Albion .

The Fans - True [7" Blue Beam Music 1980]

Another quartet, this time from Bristol. History : formed by Charlie Jones, Grant Brain, Dave Gapper and Ger Bernardo. Charlie Jones later played with Hey Belaba who were Scott Davidson's band, Scott later joined Bros and the Pet Shop Boys and is now Bristol City Football Club Chairman. Charlie later signed to Magnet Records with Neil Taylor from Sneak Preview. Belladonna is a good tune, with all the new wave gimmicks.

Recorded Delivery - Belladonna [7" The Right Track 1981]

George Borowski, a great-nephew of the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov, used to be in Manchester band The Out, who opened for Dire Straits at a place called Rafters. Apparently Mark Knopfler loved George’s guitar sound and asked why he didn’t play solos, to which George replied that he couldn’t, he only knew chords. Like it should be. But George has gained an indirect claim to immortality as Guitar George, a guitar player in the Dire Straits hit Sultans of Swing.
Who Is Innocent? concentrates his voice and guitar, with no plucking, in a refreshing song for the summer. Who is in the picture cover?

The Out - Who Is Innocent? [7" Virgin 1979]

BEATFOR92 - July Singles Weekender II

Darren Cooper played on Choo Choo Train's Briar Rose and High Eps. In December of 1989, Cooper was left with no band and a ton of original material, so with longtime pal Brad Elvis (Elvis Bros.) began to work in the Indi Rock band Three Hour Tour. Parasol Records puts out this Valentines Day single in 1991, so can expect the sound you can hear in this tunes. Two on the b side nearly linked.



Three Hour Tour - Turn Down, If You Were Here [7' Parasol Records 1991]

The Family Cat was a british psychedelic garage pop band (with three guitarists!) founded in London in 1989. The band never quite capitalised on the momentum generated by the success of debut single "Tom Verlaine".
Influenced by the Beatles to Scott Walker to the Velvet Underground, their music was very melodic
but in spite of critical acclaim the band were unable to reach the heights of fame. One of the many bands of the time who sold more t-shirts than they did albums. This was their last single. If you like this scruffy Goldenbook, try Goldenboot.

The Family Cat - Goldenbook [7' Dedicated 1995]

The Family Cat - Goldenboot [7' Dedicated 1995]

Nic Dalton has been releasing records under various names since 1985, following the demise of his more punk styled Canberra band The Plunderers. Decided to form a more pop orientated outfit and roped in a number of musical friends from several continents, this way Godstar has always had something of a revolving line-up with Dalton often acting as the sole consistent member. Leading Godstar and Sneeze and running the Half a Cow label and his own bookstore, Dalton has done time as a member of the Lemonheads, Love Positions and Hummingbirds.

The Glasgow EP was recorded during a 1993 Lemonheads UK tour; with none of his regular cohorts in attendance, Dalton assigned the bass and drum parts to local Scottish studio musicians, but got singer/guitarist Eugene Kelly of Eugenius in to give the release that special Godstar flair, with cutting rock guitars and charming choruses.

Godstar - When The Sun Goes Down [7' Half A Cow Records 1993]