BEATFOR104 - November Singles Weekender III

Based in Hull, UK, the Red Guitars' first single Good Technology was a minor hit, on their own record label, Self Drive Records selling 60,000 copies. Their third single Marimba Jive reached number one on the UK independent charts in late 1984. Diffident vocals, echoed guitars and despair lyrics, playing a mixture of punk, blues, occasional reggae and Afro-funk influences sound briefly like Cockney Rebel as well as Aztec Camera and Dream Academy… Over and over again my friend…

Red Guitars - Good Technology [7' Self Drive Records 1983]


Emerging from the remnants of mod revival groups like the Merton Parkas and the VIPs, Mood Six debuting with a pair of tracks on the A Splash of Colour compilation (1981). The group immediately launched itself to the forefront of the short-lived British psychedelia revival. Signing to EMI, Mood Six issued their first official single, "Hanging Around", but were dismissed from the label when the follow-up, "She's Too Far (Out)," proved a commercial disappointment.
In 1985, Mood Six resurfaced on the Psycho label with this cosy pop song, undoubtedly their best recording.

Mood Six - Plastic Flowers [7' Psycho 1985]



London's Barracudas offer quite an enjoyable sentimental journey through assorted rock traditions on Drop Out, their fisrt long player record : surf, pop, electric folk and psychedelia in equal shares . This ep released by Bomp’s subsidiary Voxx Records (the band is very surprised to see it) includes two tracks taken from the LP, and two covers tracks previously unreleased 1980 demos : "Surfer Joe"(Surfaris) and the classic folky "You were on my mind" by Ian & Sylvia. (Recover the great Barry McGuire version).

The Barracudas - You Were On My Mind [7' Voxx 1982]



The High Tide was another ephemeral English psyco pop revival band. Phasing effects guitars and echo languid voices. Cosmic red song with purple flashes. Freakout…





The High Tide - Dancing In My Mind [7' WEA 1981]

BEATFOR102 - November Singles Weekender I

The Explosives, was a favourite at the famous Austin club named Raul's. They were possibly the best of the punk/new wave bands that sprang up in Austin. From 1979 until 1982 The Explosives released three 7" records, and one full LP, being regular act as back up for Roky Erickson. Classic new wave jerky guitars.


The Explosives - If I Touch Her [7' Black Hole Records 1980]




Powerful trio from Scotland, their one and only recording, a swirling fusion of gloomy post-punk and Jam-inspired mod psychedelia brought the group this single in the early '80s. Incendiary guitars ready for the funeral pyre.



The Urgent Crunch Band - Listen To Silence [7' Nyeck Records 1981]


Following the end of their underachieving glam supergroup Jet in 1976, the Radio Stars were formed by ex-John's Children vocalist Andy Ellison, Sparks exile Martin Gordon and Ian MacLeod. They were at heart a quirky rock band built around Gordon's songs and Ellison's enthusiastic vocals, playing fast-moving pop/rock with heavy overtones. The quality of the material is too inconsistent to sustain interest for a whole album, but their singles are an excellent option for a rocky weekend.


Radio Stars - The Real Me [7' Chiswick Records 1978]



Mod pop band from Warwick (England). They got into the act, too, you know, new wave lads with skinny ties looking for the perfect pop song with guitars.
This single reached number 54 in the charts and would have earned them a valuable Top of the Pops appearance but due to an industrial dispute at the BBC they missed out.


The V.I.P.'s - The Quarter Moon [7' Gem Records 1980]

BEATFOR103 - November Singles Weekender II

Good Evening Manchester was a Finnish pop-rock band from the island of Aland (the island between Finland and Sweden). The band has an Irish singer in Ciaran OReilly. Released three albums adding lots of fiddles, pianos etc. to give it almost a folk-ish feeling. But this song is pure jingle jangle pop. I like this blend of chiming acoustic and electrics guitars and luscious harmonies, all the most colorful '60s sounds.

Good Evening Manchester - Go To War [7' CBS 1988]

La Granja was one of the best Spanish bands born in the worldwide garage psyco pop revival in the eighties. From Mallorca Island released many ringing pop songs, a bunch of albums with powerpoper Paul Collins producing some recordings. In 1989 brought out Magia En Tus Ojos 'Magic in your eyes', a spanish lyrics cover of Billy Bragg’s She’s Got A New Spell. They added drums and electric sound to turn it in a jingle jangle mediterranean morning.

La Granja - Magia En Tus Ojos [7' 3 Cipreses 1989]

The Three O'Clock were the quintessential L.A. Paisley Underground band, incorporated the chiming guitars of the Byrds and the influence of such groups as the Move, Hollies, Music Machine and others into their pop songs with a psychedelic bent, and the clothes to match. 1985’s Arrive Without Travelling album updates the sound by a decade or so, adding a slightly glam crunch and an AM radio gloss to tunes that recall the glory days of the Sweet and Wings.

The Three O'clock - Watching Pictures [7' IRS 1985]

The Wayward Souls was one of Sweden's sweetest secrets. Formed in Stockholm in the middle '80s brought Sweden's garage pop rock scene to the forefront nearly five years. The group's roots are strictly '60s garage and '70s powerpop... Buffalo Springfield and Plimsouls. This was their second single for prestigious Tracks On Wax label. More Bells of Rhymney.

The Wayward Souls - Wisdom Of The Heart [7' Musiknätet Waxholm 1985]

BEATFOR100 - October Singles Weekender I

London. Parka-clad youth cult anthem with mod arrogant stance. Charlie Casey, Steve Tannett and Noel Martin were ex Menace members. Recorded their only single for their own label Etc Records. Jam style vocals and outrage guitars.

The Aces - One Way St. [ 7' Etc Records 1980]

The Dazzlers were a four members band from Cambridge –Uk- , released their first single in 1978, a restless pop punk Phonies and Kick Out, another festive singalong with the guitar.

Two more seven inches and a album and likewise in previous cases they shan't go down in history.

Pretty hologram picture sleeve.

The Dazzlers - Phonies / Kick Out [7' Charisma Records 1978]

The Monitors, from England, captained by Chris Kitschin and that's about it: sharing of information…yes you can posted it. It’s not only to crush the mouse.

The Monitors - Telegram [7' Rso Records 1979]

This was the second seven inches record (ADA2) that Jake Riviera released after Stiff Records escape in his own label Radarscope Records. Following Nick Lowe’s I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass, you can dance some kick stomp with this classic Leiber-Stoller cover by San Francisco combo The Profits.

The Profits - I'm Hog For You Baby [7' Radar Records 1978]

BEATFOR101 - October Singles Weekender II

They were basically a duo of Nick Potter (guitar/vocals) and Sean Bergin (bass/vocals). Debut single "One Summer" in 1987, follow-up "Underground", Blissful (12’ only), and the album "Shorn". Crisp melodies, driving guitars, concise and memorable powerful punk-pop song.

Moss Poles - One Summer [7' Idea Records 1987]

Clearly influenced by the impassioned political fervor of the Clash, the Alarm also worked in a mostly acoustic, folk-punk vein that provided a counterpoint to their hard-driving guitar rockers. Their stage look was unquestionably a product of the '80s, with enormous spiked-up hair accompanying a cowboy/old-time cavalry wardrobe. The British music press habitually savaged their records as derivative and pretentious, but this meant little to their zealous following who supported the band to the tune of over 5 million sales worldwide and 16 Top 50 UK singles. Singer Mike Peters and bassist Eddie MacDonald write catchy, anthemic songs, debut single The Stand, the first (but not last) pop song based on a Stephen King novel, is a slice of roughed-up folk-rock.

The Alarm - The Stand [7' I.R.S. 1983]

Nice trip to Dublin last weekend.

The Irish band Cactus World News received a boost from one of their compatriots before they even recorded their first album. In 1985, the group sent a demo tape to Bono of U2 and he promptly brought the band into the studio to record their EP The Bridge (Mother Recs). Next year, Years Later was their multinational debut, a mighty waste of guitars and wolf cub choruses…

Cactus World News - Years Later [7' MCA 1986]

Indie rock band from North Spain (Gijón), loved before recorded this Chup Chup debut single. A minor hit after a TV Pepsi ad shown the way to general public. To make you the idea: it’s mid 90’s Seattle pop. A brilliant song.
Australian Blonde recorded some albums and eps, regular FIB act. In 2000 shared a record with Steve Wynn.

Australian Blonde - Chup Chup [7' Subterfuge Records 1993]

Paul Handyside 'Future’s Dream' debut solo album will be released 5 November. In the eighties Hurrah! was his first band. A british guitar pop outfit with ripped jeans and leather jackets. Released two albums and a bunch of great singles.



Hurrah! - How Many Rivers? [7' Kitchenware Records 1987]

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].