Los Pistones were a Madrid-based pop-rock band formed in 1980 by Agustín Jiménez (vocals), Ricardo Chirinos (guitar and vocals), Fran López (keyboards and vocals), José Marín (guitar), Enrique Martín (bass) and Ramón López (drums). The origin of the group's name comes from the fusion of the names "Sex Pistols" and "Ramones", two of the favorite groups of drummer Ramon Lopez.
With this formation they recorded their first demo thanks to the work of Fran López and the radio announcer Gonzalo Garrido, who financed it. This first demo was broadcasted in some radio stations, especially in Radio España - Onda 2, one of the most influential in the Madrid scene and in clubs like El Penta, getting the support of Paco Martín who, together with Julio Ruiz, founded a new record label called MR.
After the recording of the first demo, José Marín left the group and Agustín Jiménez, after separating from the group, founded Opera Pop. Later on Enrique Martin left the group to join Los Esqueletos, being replaced by Juan Luis Ambite on bass.
In 1982, Los Pistones that gained a recording contract were formed by Ricardo Chirinos, Fran López, Juan Luis Ambite and Ramón López, recording their first vinyl, a 7'' single entitled 'Las Siete Menos Cuarto', edited by MR. It contained four songs of a pop style very influenced by the British new wave. In the same year their second 7'' single was released, entitled 'Voces', an album more eclectic than the previous one and with pop, funk and soul songs, with the track "Metadona" standing out. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Label:
Producciones Twins – T3001
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country:
Spain
Released:
1984
Style:
Pop Rock, New Wave, Power Pop, Movida Madrileña
Expectations were high for Jools Holland's solo career when he first left Squeeze in 1980. Even though Holland was theoretically only a support player in the Difford & Tilbrook-fronted band, his flair for the spotlight was obvious in Squeeze's live shows, as well as on the occasional B-side or album track in which he was featured. Throw in the swinging 'Boogie Woogie 78' EP (Holland's solo debut, made while he was with Squeeze), and it seems that everything was leading up to 'Jools Holland and the Millionaires' being an accomplished and fun full-length debut from the U.K.'s favorite piano-pounding hepcat. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out that way. For whatever reason, Holland chose to downplay his rock & roll and boogie-woogie strengths for large portions of this record, and instead focused on creating Squeeze-style new wave pop. Not that there's anything wrong with that in theory; the problem is that in actual practice, most of the songs on 'Jools Holland and the Millionaires' lack Squeeze's pop savvy and catchy hooks. (Not to mention musicianship; while the Millionaires' lineup is perfectly adequate, the guitars and drums of Squeeze stalwarts Glenn Tilbrook and Gilson Lavis aren't easily replaced.) Further undermining the already somewhat patchy material is an uncharacteristically thin production job by Glyn Johns; the one track produced by Pete Wingfield, a romp through "Bumble Boogie," absolutely sparkles in comparison to the rest of the record. Overall, while there are a few fun songs and performances dotted throughout the LP (especially "Bumble Boogie," "Dynaflow," and "One More Time"), 'Jools Holland and the Millionaires' ultimately has to be classified as a rather disappointing release that's recommended only to Squeeze and/or Holland completists. Luckily, Holland would rebound from this and go on to create work (both as a solo artist and with a re-formed Squeeze) of a much higher caliber. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Label: I.R.S. Records – SP 70602, I.R.S. Records – 70602
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1982
Style: Blues Rock, Pop Rock, Ska, New Wave
Tracklist:
A1 Like I Do To You
3:00
A2 Goodbye World
3:20
A3 Dynaflow
2:12
A4 Waiting Game
3:08
A5 Let Me In
2:58
A6 Driven To Drunk
4:14
B1 Bumble Boogie
2:43
B2 Pineapple Chunk
3:36
B3 One More Time
2:59
B4 Much More Hope Than Me
4:00
B5 When I'm Through
3:20
B6 Glad You've Gone
3:40
B7 First Drink Of The Day
3:03
Notes:
UK version (A&M Records – AMLH 68534
- Released: 1981) does not contain the single "Bumble Boogie".
Other Versions:
Netherlands version (A&M Records – AMLH 68534
- Released: 1981) contains the single "Bumble Boogie"
Europeans (sometimes referred to as "The Europeans") were a British new wave group formed in 1981 and disbanded in 1985. They released two studio albums and one live album, none of which achieved much in terms of chart position. In 1989, their former keyboard player and co-lead vocalist Steve Hogarth joined Marillion as lead vocalist.
'Vocabulary' is an excellent, powerful, new-wavey, pop-ish art-rock album. very musical and very entertaining without being shallow or banal. Excellent musicians who enjoy what they do are at play. Stand out tracks are "Innocence" and "Spirit Of Youth". Moods and sounds are rich, complex and diverse. Ferg Harper's vocals add a special note as well as Geoff Dugmore's serious drumming does. The production on all tracks is tight, robust but also "airy", meaning, there's a kind of effortlessness immanent that gives room for the drive and discipline the band manages to maintain the whole album through. [SOURCE: DISCOGS]
Boye were a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Novi Sad in 1981. Until the late 1980s, Boye were an all-female band, but later lineups also featured male members, with drummer Biljana Babić being the only mainstay member during the band's career. Initially a part of the Yugoslav new wave scene, Boye later moved towards garage rock-influenced alternative rock. The band released four studio albums before disbanding in 2000.
The band's debut album, 'Dosta! Dosta! Dosta!' "(Enough! Enough! Enough!)" was produced by Disciplina Kičme frontman Dušan Kojić "Koja" and released by PGP-RTB in 1988. Under Kojić's influence, the band had maintained their original musical style and introduced rap vocal sections, and Kojić also played guitar on three tracks. The album featured the material written during the previous years, with the prominent songs "Mama Kivi" ("Mother Kiwi"), "Gde se možemo sresti" ("Where Could We Meet") and the title track. The cover was designed by Biljana Babić. 'Dosta! Dosta! Dosta!' was met with positive reactions by the critics, and after its release the band went on their first solo tour across Yugoslavia. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Label: PGP RTB – 210439
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Yugoslavia
Released: 1988
Style: Alternative Rock, New Wave, Indie Rock, Pop Rock
1986 would be the year in which X Mandarina Duck released its first and only work. It was a 7-inch vinyl record entitled 'Non Stop (Sensations)', issued by Wipe Out! Records and the first release for the now historic Greek label. The single includes three songs, all written by Tommie Bouzianis, with a fast and rhythmic style, in a rock style with new wave elements. The title track stands out while the rest of the songs are not inferior. [SOURCE: ELLINIKO.GREEK-ROCK.BLOGSPOT.GR]
Label: Wipe Out! Records – W.O.R. 001, Wipe Out! Records – 001
The Boy Hairdressers were the indie band that Norman Blake formed after he left The Pretty Flowers, but before he joined BMX Bandits or formed Teenage Fanclub with fellow Boy Hairdressers member Raymond McGinley. Other members of The Boy Hairdressers included Jim Lambie (now a successful visual artist) and Paul Quinn (later the singer for Bourgie Bourgie). 'Golden Shower'. their only output, it's not very jangly or too overtly twee, though it definitely fits into those scenes by proximity. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]
Label: 53rd & 3rd – AGARR 12T
Format:
Vinyl, 12", Single
Country: UK
Released: Jan 1988
Style: Pop Rock, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Indie Pop, Twee Pop
Orange Disaster was the first incarnation of The Perfect Disaster, with Phil Parfitt joined by Ken Renny (bass), and Alison Pate (guitar). This line-up released this seven-inch on French Vogue Records -an international label founded in France in 1947-, with different songs on the B-side that in the 7" 'Something's Got To Give' released 1980 in Neuter Records, Catalogue Number OD 01. After this they changed their name to The Architects of Disaster. Parfitt and Pate were then joined by Tony Pettitt (bass), Nod Wright (drums) and Paul Wright (guitar). This line-up disbanded, having released one single. Nod Wright and Tony Pettit then left to form Fields of the Nephilim with Parfitt recruiting Grant Davidson (bass) and later John Saltwell (bass), Dan Cross (guitar), and Malcolm Catto (drums). They returned in 1984 as The Perfect Disaster. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Esqueletos was an excellent power-pop trio from Madrid with a fleeting career and little fortune, despite having an enormous talent to elaborate masterful exercises of fast and vibrant pop. Their only released the 7" single 'Radio 222', one of the undisputed Spanish pop 'anthems' of 1983.
Led by guitarist and vocalist José Battaglio, the group was formed in 1982 as RPM together with Enrique Martín (bass and backing vocals) and Miguel de las Casas (drums).
Battaglio and Enrique were the authors of their repertoire; an exquisite hybrid of pop-punk influences ranging from Ramones, The Clash, The Jam and Buzzcocks.
After releasing their songs through a demo, the multinational Hispavox took notice of the trio from Madrid, and asked them to change their name (RPM had already been registered by another band) to record a single with Flush Records, the "alternative" sub-label that the multinational record company had created to re-launch Radio Futura to a public already enthusiastic about the "independent" wave.
As Esqueletos they released in 1983 a 7" with "Radio 222" and "Sólo Necesito un Poco de Diversión" and "Intrusos en mi Jardín" on the B-side. "Radio 222", the title track, was already very popular due to the enthusiastic radio airplay it had received. It is a song as catchy as it is danceable, a clear "hit" that fulfilled all expectations.
In addition, the two tracks included on the B-side were no less catchy, as well as displaying an overwhelming youthful energy. But, incomprehensibly, Hispavox did nothing to promote the band, which led to the discomfort of their members, who soon after decided to separate amicably to undertake new musical adventures.
Thus, in 1984, José Battaglio joined La Frontera, and later dedicated to production and collaborating with groups such as Los Vengadores and Fangoria. Enrique Martín joined Las Ruedas. [SOURCE: GRUPOS NACIONALES NUEVA OLA 80]
What Is This (known prior to 1980 as Anthym) was an American rock band that originated in Fairfax High School in California. Formed by guitarist Hillel Slovak, drummer Jack Irons, vocalist Alain Johannes, and bassist Todd Strassman, the band served as the nucleus for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Members of the band would go on to perform with Eleven, Chris Cornell, Pearl Jam, Mark Lanegan, Them Crooked Vultures, Alain Johannes Trio and Queens of the Stone Age.
This, their only full album (they also released two EP's) has a frantic admixture of rock, funk and soul -not surprising considering the involvement of two of the founding members of RHCP, Jack Irons (drums) and Hillel Slovak (second guitar). Lead songwriter Alain Johannes (guitar and vocals) is addressing "Whisper (to Natasha)" to his longtime love and musical partner, Natasha Shneider, whom he met in this time period; while "I'll be Around" is a fine cover of the hit by The Spinners. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Label: MCA Records – MCA-5598
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1985
Style: Alternative Rock, Funk Rock, Pop Rock, New Wave
True Confessions were a femme rock band that became quite popular on Toronto's Queen Street circuit. Features future Jane Siberry/Drastic Measures bassist Bryant Didier and former Diodes drummer John Hamilton.They released a single on Bomb Records in 1979, and after several line-up changes they managed a self-titled album which was produced by Greg Warren.
Omega Tribe are an English anarcho-punk band, formed in Barnet, London in 1981. With the roles of Hugh Vivian on guitar and vocals, Daryl Hardcastle on bass, Pete Fender on guitar and Pete Shepherd on drums, their first EP, 'Angry Songs', was produced by Penny Rimbaud and Pete Fender for Crass Records in 1982. Their subsequent LP, 'No Love Lost', (released by Corpus Christi Records, 1983) won the hearts of many hardened anarchos and secured their place in anarcho-punk history.
A far more melodic style, encouraged by producer and new guitarist Pete Fender (from Rubella Ballet), created a highly influential template that many other bands were to build on. They released a cassette only live release on BBP tapes in 1984. In 1984 Sonny Flint joined on drums, and they took on a sax and flute player Jane Keay. Pete Shepherd the original drummer switched to playing percussion. Pete Fender departed early in 1984. Line-up changes were fairly frequent after this period and a 12" EP, '(It's a) Hard Life/Young John', was finally released in 1985 that showed a complete change of direction. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Frantic Elevators were a punk band best known for being the jumping-off point for a pre-Simply RedMick Hucknall. Formed in 1976 after the band met each other at a Sex Pistols gig, the group consisted of vocalist Mick Hucknall, drummer Kevin Williams, guitarist Neil Smith, and bassist Brian Turner. Their final single was 1982's 'Holding Back the Years'. Just less than four years later, Hucknall re-recorded the song with Simply Red, and it became an international smash. [SOURCE: JOHN PEEL WIKI]
The kind of album you only read about. This album is a beautiful piece of Art. It has a maroon sleeve, front back and gatefold, with the letters Z O O embossed in gold, Zoo being the Liverpool label it was put out on by Bill Drummond, who also ran the Zoo Club where Virginia Astley and her Ravishing Beauties made their live debut in the closing weeks of 1981.
Inside we're informed that the music had been taken from a play "To The Shores Of Lake Placid" which ran from mid 1978 to February 1981 with "all titles performed by the Original Cast".
Whatever, the recordings were all made in studios and full details are given for the items by Big In Japan, and this is followed by Drummond's own band Those Naughty Lumps with "Iggy Pop's Jacket", issued as a single in January 1979.
Then The Teardrop Explodes with the original version of "When I Dream", a couple of tracks by Echo & the Bunnymen and to close side I a couple of real gems in Lori & the Chameleons' "Lonely Spy" and The Turquoise Swimming Pool's "The Wind", previously unreleased and featuring Troy Tate, who was instrumental in suggesting the Zoo Club to the Ravishing Beauties a few months later. There's another track on side 2 by the same act, called "Burst Balloons". Along with more Teardrop Explodes, Big In Japan and Echo & the Bunnymen is a track by Dalek I Love You, licensed from the Back Door label. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]
Label:
Zoo Records – ZOO 4, Zoo Records – ZOO FOUR
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country:
UK
Released:
07 Feb 1982
Style:
New Wave, Pop Rock, Synth-pop, Indie Rock, Post-Punk, Neo-Psychedelia, Punk
Tracklist:
A1 – Big In Japan Society For Cutting Up Men
A2 – Those Naughty Lumps Iggy Pop's Jacket
A3 – The Teardrop Explodes When I Dream
A4 – Echo & The Bunnymen Pictures On My Wall
A5 – Echo & The Bunnymen Read It In Books
A6 – Lori And The Chameleons Lonely Spy
A7 – The Turquoise Swimming Pools The Winds
B1 – Whopper Kwalo Koblinsky's Lullaby
B2 – Dalek (I Love You) A Suicide
B3 – The Turquoise Swimming Pools Burst Balloons
B4 – Lori & The Chameleons Touch (Version/Excerpt)
B5 – The Teardrop Explodes Camera, Camera
B6 – Big In Japan Suicide A Go Go
B7 – Echo & The Bunnymen Villiers Terrace
B8 – The Teardrop Explodes Take A Chance
Notes:
The music on this record has been taken from the play 'To The Shores Of Lake Placid', which ran from August 24 1978 to February 21 1981. The play is the first in a trilogy, the second of which, as yet untitled, began on November 10 1981 at 'Club Zoo', 'The Pyramid', Liverpool, and will close at 'Erics', Liverpool on November 15 1983.
All titles are performed by the original cast.
Track A1 - previously unreleased. Recorded T.W. Studios October 1977. Licensed from Warner Bros. Music Ltd.
Track A2 - previously released as single (Zoo Cage 002) January 1979. Recorded Open Eye Studios, Liverpool.
Track A3 - the original version, taken from the never released album 'Everybody Wants To Shag The Teardrop Explodes' (Zoo 1). Recorded Rockfield Studios March 1980.
Track A4 - original version featuring Echo, released as single (Zoo Cage 004) March 1979. Recorded August Studios, Liverpool March 1979.
Track A5 - b-side of Track A4, not the version on American copies of 'Crocodiles' or Korova Special Offer Version.
Track A6 - originally released by Zoo Records through Korova Records. Recorded Rockfield Studios January 1980.
Track A7 - previously unreleased. Recorded Rockfield Studios February 1981.
Track B1 - from the forthcoming album 'The Fuel Of The Big Machine', licensed from 'Radio Peeking Duck'.
Track B2 - originally released on Back Door. Recorded Rockfield Studios early 1979.
Track B3 - previously unreleased. Recorded Rockfield Studios February 1981.
Track B4 - Brief remix of 'hit' single (Zoo CAGE 006) previously unreleased. Not credited on the package.
Track B5 - previously released as b-side of 'Sleeping Gas' (Zoo Cage 003). Recorded Open Eye Studios, Liverpool November 1978.
Track B6 - previously released on 'From Y To Z And Never Again' (Zoo Cage 001). Licensed from Warner Bros. Music Ltd.
Track B7 - recorded for John Peel Session May 1979. With kind permission of the BBC.
Track B8 - previously unreleased. Recorded Cargo, Rochdale November 1979.
El Pecho de Andy was a spanish band from Toledo that enjoyed certain popularity in the second half of the eighties. Its name was a tribute to Lou Reed, and his song of the same title, "Andy's Chest". It was formed by Miguel Ángel García (guitar and voice), Fco. Javier García-Zarco (guitar), María Eugenia "Maruge" Muñoz (bass) and Miguel Ángel Campos (drums). They premiered with the independent Rocco Records, which released their first album, 'El Pecho de Andy' in 1986. The song "El Arrozal" was a true anthem at the time. [SOURCE: GRUPOS NACIONALES NUEVA OLA 80]
Tontrix formed in 1978 featuring Hambi Haralambous on vocals (later Victims of Romance, Hambi and The Dance), Steve Lovell on guitar (later of Hollycaust, Hambi and The Dance, Blitz Brotherss, Julian Cope), Mike Score on bass (later A Flock of Seagulls), Bobby Carr on keyboards (ex Those Naughty Lumps, later Moderates, Surreal Estate), Chris Hughes on drums (later of Hambi and The Dance, Adam and The Ants), who replaced Ian Johnston. The band had only one official release in 1979, the 7" single called 'Shell Shocked and Slipping Into Life'. Another track was included in the ‘Street to Street’ compilation namely "Screen Love" (a.k.a. "Clear on Radar"). The band played many gigs across North West and by late 1979 Tontrix members went their separate ways. [SOURCE: DISCOGS]
Label:
Townton Records – 1 TON, Townton Records – 1 TRICK
As a kind of "ground zero" release from artists who would end up being involved in much more notable and successful projects, this has some value. Jayne Casey went on to Pink Military and Pink Industry, Holly Johnson went on to form Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Budgie went on to work with Siouxsie and The Banshees). Hilariously Julian Cope hated the band so much that he used to circulate a petition to ask the band to break up. However, on its own, this Big in Japan EP is about as run-of-the-mill post punk/art punk as you're likely to find. Apart from a loose goofiness, the band doesn't have much of an identity, which, considering that this is their only release, would never develop. "Suicide A Go Go" and "Taxi" are probably the best tracks on here simply because they don't try too hard. The other two tracks, "Nothing Special" and "Cindy And The Barbi Dolls" sport vocals more irritating than interesting. This EP is really only for those people digging deeper into the histories and back catalogs of its members. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]
Label:
Zoo Records – Cage 001
Format:
Vinyl, 7", EP
Country:
UK
Released:
1978
Style:
New Wave, Pop Rock, Post-Punk, Art Punk, Dance-Punk
A scatterbrained and perhaps drunken recording entity based on the collective talents of guitarist Joachim Pimento aka Adrian Borland (The Sound, Second Layer, Witch Trials), fuzz guitarist / keyboardist Zoe Zettner, fuzz guitarist / vocalist Lord Sulaco (aka Pete Williams), fuzz guitarist / percussionist Daiquiri J. Wright (aka Graham Pearson), fuzz guitarist Franklin Silverheels, and bassist Smoky Alvaro (yes, they apparently liked the sound of a fuzz guitar), the Honolulu Mountain Daffodils gathered occasionally throughout the late '80s and early '90s to patch together records that threw almost anything imaginable into a blender (from Kraftwerk to Tom Waits to the Ramones to Black Sabbath to Neu! and all points between). [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
In the Valencia of the first 80's the groups with synthesizers dominated, perhaps because of bands like Glamour. One of those bands fascinated by the new English synt-pop was Betty Troupe, a sextet born on the initiative of three renegades of rock and an attractive girl with multiple artistic virtues and remarkable command capacities. The male trio consisted of Sandro Mompó (bass), Lully Azulay (guitar) and Héctor Domingo (bass), while Flora Illueca emerged as the vocalist, composer and undisputed leader of a group that would quickly become a quintet with the addition of Marina (percussion and backing vocals) and Fabienne Cidoncha (keyboards and backing vocals).
With this attractive 'line up' Betty Troupe soon caught the attention of the multinational Ariola, which quickly put the quintet in the hands of Nacho Cano (Mecano). The result was a maxi single released by Ariola in 1983 containing the tracks "El Vinilo", "MS 20" and "Berlin". The former climbed the commercial radio charts, with a somewhat surreal lyrics and an instrumentation recharged with arrangements ranging from new romantic winks to the most glamorous hard-rock, including a very long guitar solo and multiple vocal and percussion resources. For their part, the two tracks included on the "B" side were worthy aesthetic clichés very typical of the time: a tribute to the synthesizer Korg so fashionable at the time ("MS 20") and a tribute to the world capital of modernity from Bowie's "Low" ("Berlin"). [SOURCE: POP ES 80]
