Download: 3-Action! - If Only I Had the Guts
Frontman Barry McLeod and drummer Robert Campbell started The Lemons, who evolved into Protection before settling on The Incredible Blondes in 1984. The band always straddled two styles, the jangly melodic pop of the Postcard Records boom and the fuzz rock of the post New Wave movement. To this day the two styles live side by side in the band's repertoire.
After hearing a session for Radio 1’s Janice Long Show, Nick Low immediately offered to release a single on NoStrings. With bass player Stephen Boyle and keyboard player Eddie Campbell (now with the band Texas) they recorded "Where Do I Stand? / True" for release in 1986. The single was played heavily on Radio 1 but failed to chart, and the band folded with their reputation intact and with a few classic trackss in the vault.
Here's a video of their big hit "Where Do I Stand?"
Download: The Incredible Blondes - True
The Boy Hairdressers were: Norman Blake (vocals, guitar), Francis MacDonald (drums), Raymond McGinley (guitar), Joe McAlinden (bass guitar, violin), Jim Lambie (vibraphone). This is the band that Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley were in before going onto create the great Teenage Fanclub. The music overall is reminiscent of the C86 tunes with particular reference to "The Pastels" and "BMX Bandits".
Download: The Boy Hairdressers - Golden Shower
The Seaside were a british band playing 60's style jangle pop. "Completely" is taken from their only release: "Idolise" from 1991 and it's a jangle pop delight. You can find their whole EP on Manchester Rave On blog, here.
Snakes of Shake were a scottish band from Glasgow. They released a 7" - "Southern Cross" in 1985 and then a full album - "Gracelands & The Natural Wood" in 1986, both on Making Waves records. Unfortunately, they break-up shortly after the album was released and two of the band members (Seori Burnett and Neil Scott) formed a new band - "Summerhill". Download: Snakes of Shake - Make It Shine
Vicarage Garden were a british pop band.
Releases:
Oh! Dawn (7") May 1991
on Heaven Records - HV 03
Please Do It Again EP (7")
on Cavalcade
On compilations:
Just Another... Compilation (K7)
on Flippin Ace Recording Co.
- Slapped Happy
"You That Is" is from their "Oh!Dawn" single released on Heaven Records.
Download: Vicarage Garden - You That Is
Sam Corry and Daniel O'Neil grew up in Craigneuk, Motherwell, where they spent their early years as playground rivals. This rivalry continued throughout the 1980's as their respective bands competed for gigs in the Scottish music scene. A mutual admiration for Bob Dylan and Neil Young, country music and classic guitar bands like Television and Creedence Clearwater Revival eventually brought them together as The River Detectives.
Download: The River Detectives - Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
Bag-O-Shells were: Paul Chastain (vocals, guitar, organ), Eric Menck (drums, tambourine), Dougie Montgomery (guitar) and Steve Seng (bass). Chastain had recorded in the mid-1980s as a solo artist and as a member of The Stupid Cupids, while Menck had been a member of The Reverbs. The long association between Chastain and Menck began in 1987 with the indie pop band Choo Choo Train, who released two singles and an EP and were signed to the British indie label The Subway Organization. The duo also recorded for Sarah Records as The Springfields, and for Bus Stop as Bag-O-Shells. Opting for a more rock-oriented power pop sound, the duo formed Velvet Crush in 1989, with Jeffery Borchardt of Honeybunch.
Download: Bag-O-Shells - Markers
Friends were formed in 1986 by singer/guitarist/songwriter William Jones, in Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, UK. Drummer and percussionist Martin Parker joined in 1992 and these two form the nucleus of the London-based band today. Friends have released nine albums and six singles on the Summerhouse label, all of which are still available. Their latest album, Spangleland, was released in May 2007. Stylistically the music is classic English romantic pop, with lyrics that range from incurable optimism to the darkest miserablism. Influences include Teardrop Explodes and The Chameleons, and 70s acoustic music such as Nick Drake and Renaissance.
Download: Friends - Coming Out of Winter
Rodney Allen was signed to Subway after Martin Whitehead had seen him play just the one gig. Allegedly, Allen was sixteen years of age at the time and came from Glastonbury, but Whitehead probably already knew him as The Chestfields’ new guitarist, a Bristol pop group he joined in 1987. He recorded one album in a very brief session and it was followed by a 12” the next year. He even had time to tour Germany! From around 1990, he joined Bristol band The Blue Aeroplanes with whom he continued to develop his songwriting and guitar playing as well as occasionally taking the lead vocals with songs such as “Careful Boy”, “Fun” and “Wond’ring Wild”.Download: Rodney Allen - Circle Line
Men of Westenesse were a british pop group with one release: The Coldest Water 7” on Cassie Records in 1989. 2008 saw the release of a retrospective cd on Firestation - "Are You Brothers?", with three tracks from the ep and 12 unreleased songs.
Shine! was a late 80's english pop band from Norfolk. They released a flexi in 1989 named "Millions And Millions" on Baz McHat Records. Then, their song " I Just Can't Celebrate Today" was featured on the "Everlasting Happiness" compilation.
"Bite the Apple" appeared on another compilation later. I really like the song. Very catchy and great guitar work and powerful drumming.
Download: Shine! - Bite the Apple
Waxing Poetics were based in Virginia, around Norfolk and Richmond, but they also had strong ties to Chapel Hill. Their sound, especially on Hermitage, was fairly unique. You could hear some of the Athens sound in their music (R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills was actually one of the producers on this record, along with North Carolina legend Mitch Easter), but Waxing Poetics were more pop-oriented without being derivative, occasionally sounding like the Connells, the Pressure Boys, and other local favorites from the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. Their later albums didn't capitalize on the promise shown in Hermitage (they instead went for a darker, bluesier sound), but this record remains a classic of its time for those lucky enough to hear it. Five years later, Chapel Hill was inundated with a slew of bands trying to pick up where Hermitage left off, but none of them did it anywhere near as well as the Waxing Poetics, who by that time had released two other albums and all but vanished from the music scene."Return" is taken from their "Hermitage" album and it's a nice jangle pop tune.
Download: Waxing Poetics - Return
Cambridge indie band playing sophisticated pop in the sunshine pop / Bacharach vein. Primarily Jason Smith and Sara Onyett, they debuted in 1988 with the So Blind flexi (included on The Sound of Leamington Spa Vol 1), followed by a vinyl 12” - Sing Sister Glory, the next year. After that they disappeared for several years - apart from two songs on the Swedish tape compilation Grimsby Fishmarket 4 Norrköping 0, from 1992. They have released two albums, one in 1997 and one in 2000.Download: The Cherry Orchard - This Big Love
The Claim were a band originating from Cliffe, Kent and comprised of Dave Read, Dave Arnold, Martin Bishop and Stuart Ellis. They released 2 albums and lots of EP's and singles along their existence. Their song, Loser's Corner was named Single of The Week in Melody Maker in the late 80's.Social Club Blues is taken from their 1986 EP - This Pencil Was Obviously Sharpened by a Left Handed Indian Knife Thrower.
Download: The Claim - Social Club Blues
The Avons formed in the mid Eighties by Hal Jordan, Nero Caballero, Ed Street and Baz from the Farmer's Boys. They released one Album - "Songs from Three Rivers Reach" and an EP called "Four Songs". They didn't feature in the music charts but got regular airplay on Radio 1 courtesy of Andy Kershaw.
Download: The Avons - Everything's Going Right
The Prudes were formed by Bradleigh Smith and Pete Ellis in 1987. They recorded 5 singles and an album(Designer Karma) on Imaginary Records. Designer Karma was produced by Adrian Borland from the 80's post-punk icons The Sounds.
Download: The Prudes - You're Changing Into Something That I Don't Like (And So Am I)
Brian was the alias of Dublin-born, London-based indie popster Ken Sweeney, who first surfaced in 1989 with the single "A Million Miles"; the follow-up, "You Don't Want a Boyfriend," was two years in forthcoming, and after releasing the Setanta full-length Understand in 1992, he spent the better part of the decade on the sidelines, working a day job and dismissing the material he wrote in the interim as insufficient for release. The second Brian album, the acclaimed Bring Trouble, finally appeared in 1999.Download: Brian - A Million Miles
Formed in 2009, The Cavalcade are a three piece indie pop band from the rain-swept town of Preston. "Voices" is taken from their deput EP - "Meet You in the Rain", the best release of the year so far. Solid jangle pop with heartfelted vocals.
You can find more details about the band on their MySpace page, and you can buy their debut EP here.
Ambitious Beggars started out in the early '80's in Manchester. The band were originally called Ignition & were fronted by John Bramwell, who went on to be a minor legend on the Manchester scene calling himself Johnny Dangerously, He recently re-emerged as the critically acclaimed & fairly successful I Am Kloot. Bob Kemp took over the lead role in the band & their first single was the ska influenced "Man In A Suit"/"The Shadow", both contained on this Firestation Tower Records compilation "Beg!" from 2001. Next came the "Welcome" EP on Ugly Man Records. The next thing you know the whole Madchester scene is in full flow & record companies are flocking north to find the next Stone Roses. This was the opportunity they'd been waiting for, but somehow despite a large Manchester following & a well received national tour supporting James, they remained unsigned. At this point they were producing their greatest songs to date, like "Tambourine", "Here He Comes" & "Years"."Years" is a very good jangle pop song. You can feel the confidence of the band when they recorded the song, the drumming is spectacular and the voice of the singer Bob Kemp reminds me of Paul Handyside from Hurrah!.
Download: Ambitious Beggars - Years
The Pristines - out of Coventry, England. Indie lo-fi guitar pop including jangly chiming guitars with a touch of psychedelia.Released 4-track tape cassette albums via fanzines in the early 90s before being asked to produce singles for the likes of Pillarbox Red records (UK) and most notably Sunday Records (USA).
A minor but worthwhile presence on the post-C-86 British indie pop scene, Rumblefish only managed one full-length album in their six-year career, but their slightly glammy version of indie guitar strum earns favorable comparison to more prolific bands like the Dentists and Talulah Gosh.Download: Rumblefish - Beach Song
Strongly influenced by early Buffalo Springfield, Bob Dylan, and Gene Clark-era Byrds, Winter Hours' rootsy, aggressive style put them in sharp contrast with their late-'80s rock brethren. A quintet consisting of Joseph Marques on vocals, Michael Carlucci on guitar, Bob Perry on guitars and vocals, Bob Messing on bass, and Stanley Demeski on drums, the band built up a presence on college radio after opening for artists like the Bongos, the Godfathers, Let's Active, the Hoodoo Gurus, and Marshall Crenshaw. By the time they had signed with Link Records and issued their first EP, 1985's Churches, they had a new drummer, John Albanese. Four more EPs followed in 1986 on Link, Wait till the Morning, The Confessional, Leaving Time, and Say the Word (which featured another new drummer, Frank Fiannini). The same endless touring that helped build their fan base also brought them to the attention of Chrysalis Records, who signed the band and issued their self-titled LP in 1989. Their final personnel change came with that album, with yet another drummer, Dave Scheff. This lineup would release one last single in 1989, "Roadside Flowers," before officially deciding to split two years later.
Download: Winter Hours - Wait Till the Morning
Victorian Tin was a mysterious and obscure pop band. All I know is that they released a demo tape in 1990 containing 7 songs. "The Days of Youth" is a jangle pop delight.
Download: Victorian Tin - The Days of Youth
Saturn V were a british pop band from Oxford. The band: Gregory Webster (vocals, guitar), Chris Scott (bass) Kevin Pickering (guitar), Struan Robertson (drums)Releases:
Everything Tends Towards Chaos (12"+CD5) Oct 1992
on Vinyl Japan - TASK 14
Happy Trails (7") 1992
on Summershine Records - SHINE 021
Skycycle (LP+CD) 1993
on Vinyl Japan - ASK 22
Download: Saturn V - She's Gone
This is the original 1986 Friendly Fires, not to be mixed up with the current XL Recordings artist Friendly Fires. “Looks Like Rain” is from their first 7″ single on Deadbug Records. They sound like a mix between New Order and Close Lobsters. The song is very jangly. Don't miss it!
Download: The Friendly Fires - Looks Like Rain
The Assistants are a jangle pop band from Ontario, Canada. They released their self-titled debut album in 2007. Fans of The Go-Betweens, The Smiths, Orange Juice, Felt, and early R.E.M. will love this song. The vocals of both singers of the band, Kiley Meehan and Ciaran Megahey sound more European than they do Canadian, resembling a somewhat fainter version of The Housemartins’ Paul Heaton or the great Edwyn Collins. A sweet throwback to the 80's jangle sound.
Download: The Assistants - Planet News
The Caroline Know was formed in the summer of 1989 in Northampton, Massachusetts by former Loneliest Christmas Tree singer/songwriter Stephen Rand along with bassist Les LaBarge, a veteran of the Western Mass hardcore scene and drummer Jason Loewenstein, who would later go on to achieve reknown as a member of Sebadoh and on his own as a solo artist (they would also be joined on occasion by Sebadoh's Eric Gaffney on second guitar. Particularly memorable was a Sunday afternoon show at a local VFW where their audience consisted of about seven ten year old boys with skateboards who smirked at them and a concert at the University of Massachusetts where the power was shut down when Eric kicked in on the guitar solo on a cover of Zeppelin's "Tangerine"). This version of the band played together for a little over a year or so. During that time they played support gigs for such national acts as Galaxy 500, Miracle Legion, The Lemonheads and Buffalo Tom, as well as frequently playing smaller club gigs in the area. A cassette only release "Trust Nature" caught the ear of Brian Kirk at The Bus Stop Label and he released their debut 7 " single "Nail/Orphaned Too". When it was released it received rave reviews in Rock Pool, CMJ and The Bob along with positive notices in several fanzines of the time. However, when the single was released the original version of the band had broken up.Download: The Caroline Know - Orphaned Too
The Mayfields were a british pop band from Salisbury. They were inspired by Razorcuts, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Primal Scream, Postcard Records, early Creation Records and The Subway Organisation. The Mayfields released 2 singles, on The Bus Stop Label and Ambition Records, both in 1989 - "Deeper Than The Ocean" and "World Of Your Own". They had other songs released on different compilations, like "Seasons Pass" - a nearly perfect slice of jangle pop.Download: The Mayfields - Seasons Pass
