Month: September 2011

One Chord Wonders / Bored Teenagers / New Church / On The Roof / New Boys / Bomb Site Boy

No Time To Be 21 / Safety In Numbers / Drowning Men / On Wheels / Great British Mistake

Uploaded tonight is the superb debut LP by The Adverts, a band that shone brightly for several years releasing many excellent singles and two fine LPs. Every track on this debut LP is a classic and the LP is one that can still be played over and over again all these years since it’s original release… Text below ripped violently from the pages of wikipedia.

TV Smith and Gaye Advert were originally both from Bideford, a small coastal town in Devon. After witnessing Sex Pistols at Plymouth the couple relocating to London where the two young punks recruited guitarist Howard Pickup and drummer Laurie Driver, and the Adverts were born.

The Roxy one of London’s first live punk venues, played a crucial role in the Adverts’ early career. They were one of the pioneering bands who played at the club during its first 100 days. The Adverts played at the club no less than nine times between January and April 1977. In January 1977, after their first gig supporting Generation X, the band impressed Michael Dempsey so much that he became their manager. Their second gig supporting Slaughter & the Dogs was recorded, and their anthem ‘Bored Teenagers’ was included on the UK Top 30 album Live at the Roxy WC2. In February, shortly after the band’s third gig supporting The Damned, they signed a recording contract with Stiff Records. In March, the band supported The Jam at the Roxy.

In April, the Adverts recorded the first of four sessions for John Peel at Maida Vale for BBC Radio. Days later, their debut single, ‘One Chord Wonders’, was released. The single, “a headlong rush of energy”, was recommended by both Melody Maker and Sounds.

The Adverts were a prolific live act. Their first nationwide tour was with Stiff label-mates the Damned. The tour poster read, “The Adverts know one chord, the Damned know three. See all four at…” Later they would support Iggy Pop on tour, as well as conducting their own headlining tours in Britain, Ireland and Europe.

In August, the band released the first of their two UK Top 40 hit singles. Lyrically, ‘Gary Gilmore’s Eyes’ was a controversial song based on the wishes of Gary Gilmore, an American murderer, that his eyes be donated to medical science after his execution. Sounds described it as “the sickest and cleverest record to come out of the new wave”.

After the tabloid-fuelled controversy surrounding the single, and an appearance on Top of the Pops, the Adverts became big news. Observers focused on front man T.V. Smith and bassist Gaye Advert. Reviewers noted T.V. Smith’s song-writing ability. He was said to have “captured the spirit of the times few contemporaries could match”. Another reviewer described Smith as the band’s “raging heart, spitting out the fail safe succession of songs which still delineate punk’s hopes, aspirations and, ultimately, regrets”. In contrast, Gaye Advert’s reputation was more fleeting. She was “one of Punk’s first female icons”. Her “photogenic” looks, “panda-eye make-up and omnipresent leather jacket defined the face of female punkdom until well into the next decade”.

The band’s follow-up single, ‘Safety in Numbers’ did not chart. A fourth single, ‘No Time To Be 21’, scraped into the UK Top 40. A month later, their debut album ‘Crossing The Red Sea’ was released, and has become one of the most highly regarded albums of the punk era, with Dave Thompson calling it “a devastating debut, one of the finest albums not only of the punk era, but of the 1970s as a whole”, and several other writers including it in lists of all-time greatest albums.

Despite releasing some more well-regarded singles, the Adverts were not able to maintain the momentum and their career stalled after the release of their second album ‘Cast Of Thousands’. The band split up shortly after the accidental death by electrocution of their manager, Michael Dempsey. Their last gig was at Slough College on 27 October 1979.

In regards to their legacy, critic and author Dave Thompson argues that “nobody would make music like the Adverts and nobody ever has. In terms of lyric, delivery, commitment and courage, they were, and they remain, the finest British group of the late 1970s”

Dedicating this KYPP post tonight to Alistair Livingston ex Puppy Collective, ex All The Madmen manager, early 1980’s music paper hack and general social-political good guy whose birthday it is today.

Ten Commandments / Majestic Dub / Social Justice / Kings Of Dub / Bionic Encounter

Edward The Eight / International Treaty / Martial Law / Nations Of Dub / Embargo

Joe Gibbs was one of Jamaica’s most influential producers during the seventies and early eighties. His long lasting relationship with the late sound engineer Errol Thompson, who had left Randy’s Studio prior to working with Joe Gibbs, resulted in producing more than well over one hundred  hit records in Jamaica and the UK. They became famous as ‘The Mighty Two’.

Dub versions of popular Jamaican songs started emerging in the late 60’s. Eventually, studio engineers and producers such as King Tubby, Derrick Harriot, Clive Chin, Errol Thompson and Harrie Mudie mixed and modified the dub tracks, occasionally using the voice as an additional instrument. The evolution of dub finally resulted led to point were the dub tracks stood on their own. Consequently, full length dub albums began to appear, initially in small pressings with high prices. Joe Gibbs released a slew of fine dub albums between 1975 and 1980.

African Dub All Mighty – 1975

African Dub All Mighty Chapter 2 – 1976

State Of Emergency – 1976

African Dub All Mighty Chapter 3 – 1978

African Dub All Mighty Chapter 4 – 1979

Majestic Dub – 1979

On these albums you can find dub workouts of popular Joe Gibbs productions from the 70’s, most of which are updated versions of classic Treasure Isle and Studio One riddims. ‘African Dub All-Mighty Chapter 3’ was the most commercially successful and genuinely brought the dub format to the ears of many listeners outside the reggae community specifically the growing punk community. Part of the appeal was the broad use of bizarre sound effects such as ringing bells, buzzers, phones, whistling birds and shooting sounds. For some dub purists this distracted from the impact of some of the original riddims. The band Joe Gibbs and The Professionals included top musicians such as bassists Lloyd Parks and Robbie Shakespeare, drummer Sly Dunbar, guitarists Earl Chinna Smith, Winston Bowen, and Bingi Bunny and organists Bubbler and Ossie Hibbert.

”Majestic Dub’ was a ten track set released on the Lazer record label in the UK and the Joe Gibbs record label in Jamaica in 1979. This was a time when the disco craze was hitting the island of Jamaica hard so the organ / synths and guitars recorded on top of some of the riddims showcased on this LP have a very recognisable disco feel! This album offers a selection of familiar riddims. There is ‘Social Justice’, a tune across the Augustus Pablo ‘Java’ riddim. Furthermore there’s the ‘To the Foundation’ riddim, courtesy of the late great Dennis Brown. More Dennis Brown riddims include ‘Edward The Eight’, utilising the ‘Stay At Home’ riddim, courtesy of the original Paragon, Mr. John Holt and ‘Nation Of Dub’, riding the ‘How Could I Live’ riddim voiced by artists such as The Sharks, John Holt, Dennis Brown to name but a few.

‘Majestic Dub’ is not the most powerful dub outing Joe Gibbs has put out, nevertheless it still stays an enjoyable album. The pick of the bunch for me is the African Dub All Mighty set and not surprisingly the third installment is my pick of that bunch. I would have tried to upload that set but I did not have time to record four LP’s in one session and more importantly the records were unreachable in the lock up…This LP was more accessible hence it’s inclusion today.

Some of the text above was lifted from the reggaevibes.com website and the text below from wikki…

Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its main concern. It was in this shop that he first started to sell records. The fast growth of the local music scene encouraged him to get more involved in the music business, and in 1967 he started to record some artists in the back of his shop with a two-track tape machine, working with Lee Perry who had just ended his association with Clement Coxsone Dodd. In 1968, with the help of Bunny Lee, he launched his Amalgamated record label, and had his first success with one of the earliest rocksteady songs, Roy Shirley’s ‘Hold Them’.

When Perry decided to leave to start his own record label, Upsetter, Gibbs enrolled the young Winston Niney Holness (later known as Niney The Observer) who helped Gibbs maintain his productions at the top of the charts. During the rocksteady period until 1970, he had hit records with numerous artists including The Pioneers, Errol Dunkley, and Ken Parker. He also worked with backing bands such as Lynn Taitt and the Jets (including the organist Ansel Collins, and horns players Tommy McCook, Johnny Dizzy Moore, Bobby Ellis and Vin Gordon), or The Hippy Boys (featuring the Barrett brothers as the rhythm section).

He concentrated exclusively on the production of the then new reggae sound after his first international success ‘Love of the Common People’ by Nicky Thomas (#9 in the UK Singles Chart in summer 1970). Gibbs still recorded the rock-steady artists that he had initially worked with; artists like The Ethiopians, Delroy Wilson, and The Heptones. The two volumes of his singles compilations The Heptones and Friends were bestsellers in Jamaica. During this period, he launched three new labels — Jogib, Shock, and Pressure Beat.

In 1972, after having moved his studio in the Duhaney Park district, he set up a new one at Retirement Crescent and started to work with sound engineer Errol Thompson, who used to be at Randy’s Studio. Together they were known as The Mighty Two, and along with his studio band The Professionals (including bassist Robbie Shakespeare, drummer Sly Dunbar and guitarist Earl Chinna Smith), they produced hundreds of singles, including the hits ‘Money In My Pocket’ by Dennis Brown, ‘Ah So We Stay’ by Big Youth and ‘Eviction’ by Black Uhuru. The duo worked on over 100 Jamaican number one hits.

In 1975, he set up his new 16-track studio and record pressing plant and kept producing Jamaican artists under numerous label names (Crazy Joe, Reflections, Belmont, Town & Country). He had success again with roots reggae, rockers, lovers rock and Dub music artists including: Dennis Brown, Jacob Miller, Sylford Walker, The Mighty Diamonds, Gregory Isaacs, Prince Alla and Junior Byles.

The 1977 Culture album ‘Two Sevens Clash’ was a major influence on the then emerging punk scene and an internationally acclaimed production. The album was cited by punk rock band The Clash. Other successful artists produced by the Mighty Two during the end of the 1970s include: Marcia Aitken, Althea & Donna, John Holt, Barrington Levy, Cornell Campbell, Dean Fraser, Delroy Wilson, Beres Hammond, Ranking Joe, Prince Jazzbo, Prince Mohammed, Dillinger, Trinity, Prince Far I, Clint Eastwood, I-Roy and Kojak & Liza.

Re uploading this post as I have now added the second and last single by Kindergarten.

Warrior

Ha Ha Ha

World Turned Upside Down

Double Standards / Carbon

Kindergarten along with Lack Of Knowledge were one of the Enfield area bands, although by the time of these record releases some members of the band were holed up at Lansdowne Road in Tottenham within cheering distance of the football stadium there. The band were connected to Tea House Camp not only by location (a member of Tea House Camp also lived at Lansdowne Road) but also by constantly performing together at various gigs around the north London area. Kindergarten were the heavier sounding of these two bands with a sound reminiscent of Killing Joke.

Tea House Camp were actually from Bradford, home of New Model Army and Southern Death Cult and were just temporarily based in London. Both brothers in that three piece band were actively employed by doing stints at Rough Trade Distribution, then based at Collier Street in Kings Cross.

Kindergarten had quite a decent following at those North London gigs and I saw them a fair few times. A lot of Play Dead and New Model Army types used to come to the performances including the infamous Nick The Frog. Joolz the Bradford poetess and Justin from New Model Army would come along now and again and those two would also invite the band to there private parties in Stamford Hill which were always fun. Gig highlights for me were performances at The Three Crowns in Stoke Newington on one of Jon Fat Beasts free entry gigs and The Boston Arms in Tufnell Park which was an all day gig with Brigandage, Rubella Ballet, Ausgang and Tea House Camp performing amongst a host of others.

While an idea of recording the second single was in the air I was paying a visit to Lansdowne Road and it was discussed that the band wanted to place mugshots of various people onto the eventual artwork.

I went out to the nearest photo booth with Magnus who was quite a character. He was a relatively well connected roadie and did a fair amount of regular work at the Clarendon in Hammersmith. Bands he had worked for were quite vast including New Model Army, The Cult, Play Dead as well as Tea House Camp and Kindergarten.

We came away with four mugshots from Seven Sisters tube station and wondered back to Lansdowne Road where we placed them in a pile with other booth photographs already collated. Something like half a year later the record had been recorded and pressed and artwork ready to go to the printers and I was quite chuffed to see that three of the four photo booth photos had been used. One of me, one of Magnus with his treasured (and seemingly always worn) eagle baseball cap on, and one of the both of us together.  My little brothers girlfriend of the time named Amy was also on the inside cover…

391: The Kid’s Gonna Do It / What’s Right / You Bother Me – Red Cross: Cover Band / I Hate My School / Standing In Front Of Poseur 

Red Cross: Annettes Got The Hits / Clorex Girls / S & M Party – Spittin’ Teeth: 2nd Generation / Prostitute / Destruction

Uploaded tonight is a LP released on Posh Boy Records in 1980 which had the pleasure of bringing Red Cross onto vinyl for the very first time. Posh Boy Records I would assume this record got good reactions specifically for the Red Cross tracks so later on during 1980 the bands tracks that appeared on ‘The Siren’ LP were released as the debut self titled Red Cross 12″. A 12″ record that is six and a half minutes long…Bargain mate. The other bands I know nothing of although 391 has a couple of members from The Nuns involved I understand.

Inspired as much by breakfast cereal and kiddie TV as by rock music, punk-pop cult band Red Cross were the brainchild of Steve and Jeff McDonald, brothers from the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne (also home of the Beach Boys) who began playing music together before either had hit puberty. Fueled by a series of dubious visits to famed area rock clubs like the Roxy and the Whisky a Go Go, they formed their first band, the Tourists, in 1978; Jeff, then 15, handled vocal duties while Steve, 11, took up the bass.

After rounding out the group with schoolmates Greg Hetson on guitar and Ron Reyes on drums, the Tourists played their first gig, opening for Black Flag. Following a name change to Red Cross, they issued their first tracks on the ‘Siren’ compilation LP released on Posh Boy Records along with 391 and Spittin’ Teeth. Posh Boy Records founder Robbie Fields writes: “The 391 recordings were recorded in 1979 and originally released on the ill fated ‘Siren’ LP, PBS 103, sometime in late 1979 / early 1980. Also on the album were Red Cross and Utah’s Spittin’ Teeth. The sleeve was designed by David Allen, a Briton living at that time in L.A.”

Posh Boy Records went on to release the Red Cross tracks from the compilation LP onto a six track 12” EP later on in 1980 adorned with a colourful 12″ disco sleeve designed by Nick Taggart that was also used for the six Red Cross recordings after they first appeared on The Siren LP! After the departure of Hetson and Reyes for the Circle Jerks and Black Flag, respectively, the McDonalds enlisted a revolving lineup of underground musicians for their full-length follow-up, 1982’s ‘Born Innocent’, which found the group’s pop culture obsessions bubbling over on tributes like ‘Linda Blair’ and ‘Charlie’ (about Charles Manson, whose ‘Cease to Exist’ they also covered).

Following the album’s release, the band was threatened with a lawsuit from the real International Red Cross; as a result, the group became Redd Kross, and returned in 1984 with Teen Babes from Monsanto, a collection of covers of artists ranging from David Bowie to the Rolling Stones and the Shangri-Las.

That year, they also appeared in and composed the music for the no-budget film Desperate Teenage Lovedolls, which included their transcendent cover of the Brady Bunch’s ‘(It’s A) Sunshine Day’. Complete with new guitarist Robert Hecker and drummer Roy McDonald (no relation), 1987’s ‘Neurotica’, with songs like ‘Frosted Flake’ ‘The Ballad of Tatum O’Tot and the Fried Vegetables,’ and ‘Janus, Jeanie and George Harrison,’ appeared primed to push Redd Kross out of the underground, but their label, Big Time, folded shortly after the album’s release, and legal hassles prevented the band from recording any new material under its own name for three years.

This post uploaded tonight is dedicated to Jim ‘The Driver’ Wafford who is celebrating his birthday today. All the very best to you on your special day. Jim is pictured centre alongside Harry and Ruth Hagar.