BEATFOR 99 - September Singles Weekender III

Elvis Costello has become a legend throughout his career that spans over three decades as one of the most innovative, influential, and best songwriters since Bob Dylan. He has never lost his youthful enthusiasm for making albums of extraordinary ambition, complexity and expression. Elvis had a influence on the modern music scene, groups like Any Trouble, The Jags, Sussman Lawrence at the new wave explosion, and artists like John Wesley Harding, Ron Sexsmith, Jay Bennett, Eugene Edwards or John O’brien, show their true forefather.

e.g. :

Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons is the group which started one of Australia's most talented musicians, Joe Camilleri, making music of his own since 1975. Elvis Costello thought so much of Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons' 'So Young' single, so he ended up recording a version himself (Out Of Our Idiot LP 1987 – VVAA , EC in various guises ), a great complement in retrospect considering Elvis' own songwriting. This All I Wanna Do pay homage to Oliver’s Army from Armed Forces album, with the same restless piano and passionate cutting voice.


The Belgian Elvis was Rick Tubbax, another angry young man. A few singles and an album in 1983. Fluid vocals, catchy choruses with farfisa brushstrokes around the song. But it’s not a fake, it’s real new wave.

Brian Copsey was a cross between Buddy Holly and Elvis himself. He was one of the unsung post punk heroes. Only two singles with no success, but four terrific songs. Twangy guitars, Everly’s singalong, great pop tunes. He should be a great Rockpile support band .

Songs :

Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons - All I Wanna I Do [7' Mushroom Records 1979]
Rick Tubbax and the Taxi's - Breaking Up [7' Roland Kluger Music 1980]
Rick Tubbax & Taxi's - Tonight [7' RKM 1981]
Brian Copsey & The Commotions - Boys In Love [7' Chrysalis 1981]

BEATFOR98 - September Singles Weekender II

Following the footprints traced by The Hoodoo Gurus and many other jangle rock australian bands, Ups & Downs were a Brisbane group who grew from being another paisley shirts band. The name was derived from a track on the Flamin' Groovies 1978 album, Now. So you can expect which sound housed this second single, guitars, guitars and guitars...

Ups And Downs - The Perfect Crime [7' Waterfront Records. Aus 1985]







All I’ve ever wanted from pop music is here, a gentle, beguiling rhythm leads you, sucks you under its carefree beat, and just as you're being lulled into tranquility, a fuzzed guitar spark furiously. Great song. Hellfire Sermons were formed in Liverpool, England in 1987 largely from the ashes of another Liverpool band, The Decemberists.


Hellfire Sermons - H.O.N.E.Y.M.O.O.N. [7' Esurient Communications. Uk 1989]



Sailing aboard the ‘Quaker City’ steamship in 1867, Mark Twain wrote ‘Innocents Abroad’ during his trip through Europe and the Holy Land. These Innocents Abroad were a late 80’s Liverpool band strongly influenced by the best pre-Warners REM. Released this five songs ep and album in 1990.

Innocents Abroad - If I Try [12' Quaker City ep. Stormfield Records Uk 1986]




Robin Wills (cult name The Barracudas) made a pair of albums with a group called the Fortunate Sons (originally a trio, but later a quartet with Chris Wilson), with no success in Uk and a great acknowledgement in some european countries. Plenty of 12 strings guitars and rock ‘n’ roll. From the ‘Rising’ album, a slice of pop-groovie with Sometimes You Win, and the b side (only here) a delicious good-time country-rocker with a slightly dark edge cover of the Papas’ John Phillips ‘Me And My Uncle’.
Check his amazing freak blog.

Fortunate Sons - Sometimes You Win / Me And My Uncle [7' Bam Caruso 1986].

BEATFOR97 - September Singles Weekender I

Another favourite vintage power pop, from California The Shake Shakes released two singles , ‘You Can Run’ in 1979 and this ‘Don’t Worry ‘Bout The Night’. Features Mario Rojas, Richard "Midnight Hatsize" Snyder before joining Captain Beefheart's band (1981-1982) on bass, as well as Pierre "Bamboo" Dupuy on drums (later of The Ringling Sisters, The Mystery Band and Wreck 'n' Sow).

The Shake Shakes - Don't Worry 'Bout The Night [7' Notown Records USA 1981].

Band from Rochester NY, formed in fall ’76. Kevin Patrick, Gary Trainer and Dale Smeadly were founding members. The band managed to record ‘Die Trying’ (pure powerpop punk) and ‘Angela’ (a tribute to the girl groups of the 1960’s) in a 5 hour session at Chritsmas 1978. With no money to press it, Reliable Records in London loved it and put the thing out. The resulting press and radio play in the UK garned attention from majors, and the band finally signed with CBS; the record was re-released. Several singles and a great song ‘Hot Sounds’ which appeared on a local radio station LP in Rochester ‘WCMF 96 Rochester's HOME Grown Bands-11 Choice Local Cuts’ ended the band, became the cowpunk combo The Jet Black Berries. Some of the band are still active in the female front glam pastiche The Atomic Swindlers.

New Math - Die Trying [7' Reliable Records UK 1979]



Excellent powerful pop punk from Boston in the wake of British neo-mods, good rock'n'roll drive and feel, leadered by David Minehan. Their first single, the rest forget it : the trio toned down the bright melodies and added more energy to become, well, a common arena rock & roll band. But this is a killer storm of guitars.

The Neighborhoods -No Place Like Home [7' Ace Of Hearts Records USA 1979].

BEATFOR94 - August Singles Weekender I

Experienced musicians from Nottingham (England) formed Plummet Airline. Harry Stephenson (Guitar, Vocals), Duncan Kerr (Guitars, Vocals), Darryl Hunt (Bass, Vocals), Richard Booth (Guitars, Vocals) and Keith Gotheridge (Drums). Released two singles, first one ‘Silver Shirt’ for Stiff Records, this ‘It’s Hard’ and the album ‘On Stoney Ground’ for State Records. They did a couple of Peel sessions and supported some interesting bands such as Van DerGraaf Generator, Huey Lewis , Rockpile and Mallard . A top winner, real Pub-Rock, back to basics song showing the influence of the punk revolution going on around them .

Plummet Airline - I'ts Hard [7' State Records 1977]

The Pinkees cherished a one-hit wonder (No. 8) with ‘Danger Games’ in December 1982. The following ‘Holding Me Tight’ does not fail in it’s attempt. Anyway it’s a good mod-pop song with Beatlesque harmonies and 60’s straight power pop.

The Pinkees - Holding Me Tight [ 7' Creole Records 1982]

British new wave band from early eighties based in Bangor (Wales), a five piece leaded by Sheila McCartney. Their first single release ‘Family Affairs’ helped them signing with major label WEA and released their sole album ‘Contact You’ in 1982. In the post punk era, many bands shared their ‘politics and pop’ mix, but few did as well as this Welsh band.

Fay Ray - Family Affair [7' Surrey Sound Records 1980]








Put Me In The Picture still is my favourite song from the Merton band. Played non-stop in the summer of 1980. Energetic and incendiary guitars, straight pop in a kind of neat and tidy version of The Jam in many ways .
Smith , the drummer, went to Mood Six. Mick Talbot joined The Dexy’s, The Bureau and the group finally earned posthumous notoriety when became Paul Weller’s partner in The Style Council. Glorious career.


Merton Parkas - Put Me In The Picture [7' Beggars Banquet 1980]

BEATFOR96 - August Singles Weekender III

James Gascoigne, Kip Phillips, Tom Oconnell and Kip Phillips grew up together in Bellevue – Washington, formed The Queen Annes in 1980 dissatisfied with punk rock. But this single oozes punk and rock, great drums beat, harmonicas and guitars and guitars. Their only vinyl release recorded at Triangle Studios -Seattle- under the watchful eye of engineer Peter Barnes. They also released one other track on vinyl on Green Money's "Monkey Business" compilation in 1985. The band disappear, to reform in 1994 and release two albums for his own reformed independent label, Q. and A. Records.

The Queen Annes - I Thought Of You / This Is That [7" Queen Annes Records 1983]

Xdreamysts, Northern Irish band, with great musicians, mixing flanger guitars with Costello gimmicks and so much adrenalin, and as result of that everybody love them : powerpopers, punks, nwobhm’s. I love the b side, 1.58 minutes of fuel for the fire. Released three eps and a recommend album in 1980.

Xdreamysts - Right Away Home / Dance Away Love [7" Good Vibrations Records 1978].

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BEATFOR95 - August Singles Weekender II

The band was formed by singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Yukio Yung (pseudonym of Terry Burrows as part of his fascination with Japanese culture) and singer/guitaris Alan Jenkins (leader of The Deep Freeze Mice) in west London in 1986. Released three albums and four EPs as the Chrysanthemums.
This first single states their musical influences included Syd Barrett, the Kinks, the Who, XTC, the Television Personalities, and the Canterbury progressive music scene.
Yung's sensitivity, lightness of touch and other-worldly, mystical feeling for harmony and counterpoint perfectly balanced by Jenkins' ability to play very very fast guitar solos. Vibrant psych-pop.

The Chrysanthemums - Another Sacred Day [7' Egg Plant Records 1987]

From Brighton (England). Their only one seven inches, thrilling pop song with sparkling guitars and the usual mild taste of psychedelia in the mid eighties.

Bobby Scarlet - Peach [7' Deadbug Records 1989]

The Marigolds were a group of Perth (Australia) powerpopsters who were a live drawcard but never quite scaled the same heights elsewhere as contemporaries like The Stems and the Chevelles. They were lead by Jamie Parry, who would go on to sing in The Neptunes among other bands, Mark Hemmery (lead guitar and harmonica), Dean Graham (rhythm guitar), and Martin Moon (drums), who has played or helped out in numerous great bands including The Neptunes, DM3, The Chevelles, The Feends, The Summer Suns, King Wasabi ...
The Marigolds' roots might be in '60s punk territory, but they spread to tap distinctively country/folk sources or folkish country-pop, always good tunes, wide open pop, a bit of garage, and a smattering of country overlapping sixties flower-pop.
They released a couple of 7” vinyl singles during their original incarnation and a cassette when they reformed in the late 1980s, with production assistance from Dom Mariani and Kim Williams.

The Marigolds - I've Had Enough [7' Cherrytop Records 1985]

Outskirts, english band leaded by Maggie Beck that wrote the European minor hit ‘Blue Line’ in 1981 tasted the sweet flavour of success. Bittersweet pop with charming voices. A 6 track lp in 1985 ‘Heaven’s On The Move’ and the 12’ single ‘Down’ on Glass Records to complete their unnoticed discography . Such a pity.

Outskirts - Too Bad [7' Glass Records 1986]