They were punks with Mod genes I guess?
I didn't realise Billy had written a memoir - is it truthful do you think, or self-aggrandising myth-building stuff? I'll give it a go if I can find a cheap copy anyway...
I didn't realise Billy had written a memoir - is it truthful do you think, or self-aggrandising myth-building stuff? I'll give it a go if I can find a cheap copy anyway...
February 9, 2026 at 12:40 PM
They were punks with Mod genes I guess?
I didn't realise Billy had written a memoir - is it truthful do you think, or self-aggrandising myth-building stuff? I'll give it a go if I can find a cheap copy anyway...
I didn't realise Billy had written a memoir - is it truthful do you think, or self-aggrandising myth-building stuff? I'll give it a go if I can find a cheap copy anyway...
I know what you mean. And Billy (back then) was much smarter than he was made out to be as well. My fave song of theirs, for a long time, was "Valley Of The Dolls" - 'til I eventually realised it's just Bowie's "Rebel Rebel" riff innit? Oh well, guilty pleasures endure, etc...
February 9, 2026 at 12:25 PM
I know what you mean. And Billy (back then) was much smarter than he was made out to be as well. My fave song of theirs, for a long time, was "Valley Of The Dolls" - 'til I eventually realised it's just Bowie's "Rebel Rebel" riff innit? Oh well, guilty pleasures endure, etc...
Historic Moments In Punk Rock #78.
"Don't think that because Billy and Tony are in a punk group they only want to meet punk girls, 'cos they don't!"
"Don't think that because Billy and Tony are in a punk group they only want to meet punk girls, 'cos they don't!"
February 9, 2026 at 12:05 PM
Historic Moments In Punk Rock #78.
"Don't think that because Billy and Tony are in a punk group they only want to meet punk girls, 'cos they don't!"
"Don't think that because Billy and Tony are in a punk group they only want to meet punk girls, 'cos they don't!"
I had a couple of great chazzer hauls last year but the glory days are over, I fear, because so many shops nowadays have a middle-aged bloke who comes in once a week to price up their new stock. Increasingly I see "rare" CDs stickered up at a fiver apiece when they're cheaper than that on Discogs...
February 8, 2026 at 8:20 PM
I had a couple of great chazzer hauls last year but the glory days are over, I fear, because so many shops nowadays have a middle-aged bloke who comes in once a week to price up their new stock. Increasingly I see "rare" CDs stickered up at a fiver apiece when they're cheaper than that on Discogs...
I guess Chrysalis saw no reason to repress it back then, with it underperforming so drastically and the band splitting?
February 8, 2026 at 5:55 PM
I guess Chrysalis saw no reason to repress it back then, with it underperforming so drastically and the band splitting?
Baffling (somewhat) to consider that when CTB was released the Dance Craze soundtrack was riding high in the Top 10, yet CTB peaked at #41 and dropped out of the chart after a month, causing the band to prematurely split. Reagan being shot kept its title track 45 off radio playlists apparently...
February 8, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Baffling (somewhat) to consider that when CTB was released the Dance Craze soundtrack was riding high in the Top 10, yet CTB peaked at #41 and dropped out of the chart after a month, causing the band to prematurely split. Reagan being shot kept its title track 45 off radio playlists apparently...
Today's chazzer booty, £3.00.
Until today it'd been 40+ years since I last heard the 2nd Selecter LP, but I remembered it as being a darker, bleaker record than their Two-Tone debut & I was right. The songs are slower, the production more New Wave influenced, but the skank is still there. I love it.
Until today it'd been 40+ years since I last heard the 2nd Selecter LP, but I remembered it as being a darker, bleaker record than their Two-Tone debut & I was right. The songs are slower, the production more New Wave influenced, but the skank is still there. I love it.
February 8, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Today's chazzer booty, £3.00.
Until today it'd been 40+ years since I last heard the 2nd Selecter LP, but I remembered it as being a darker, bleaker record than their Two-Tone debut & I was right. The songs are slower, the production more New Wave influenced, but the skank is still there. I love it.
Until today it'd been 40+ years since I last heard the 2nd Selecter LP, but I remembered it as being a darker, bleaker record than their Two-Tone debut & I was right. The songs are slower, the production more New Wave influenced, but the skank is still there. I love it.
Glad it's not just me who realises Screamadelica is basically a comp!
I definitely don't resent them making a living but, having seen them several times during the EXTRMTR / Evil Heat era, I think their watered-down greatest hits sets nowadays might depress me off so I skip 'em - know what I mean?
I definitely don't resent them making a living but, having seen them several times during the EXTRMTR / Evil Heat era, I think their watered-down greatest hits sets nowadays might depress me off so I skip 'em - know what I mean?
February 8, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Glad it's not just me who realises Screamadelica is basically a comp!
I definitely don't resent them making a living but, having seen them several times during the EXTRMTR / Evil Heat era, I think their watered-down greatest hits sets nowadays might depress me off so I skip 'em - know what I mean?
I definitely don't resent them making a living but, having seen them several times during the EXTRMTR / Evil Heat era, I think their watered-down greatest hits sets nowadays might depress me off so I skip 'em - know what I mean?
They're always worth a look, for Bid's between-songs sarcasm if nothing else.
February 8, 2026 at 4:31 PM
They're always worth a look, for Bid's between-songs sarcasm if nothing else.
Edwyn was there but not for long.
Don't get me wrong, I've been a PS apologist / evangelist for many years but I do sometimes wonder what it is they think they're doing? I like the fact that I love some of theirs LP but hate others though!
Don't get me wrong, I've been a PS apologist / evangelist for many years but I do sometimes wonder what it is they think they're doing? I like the fact that I love some of theirs LP but hate others though!
February 8, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Edwyn was there but not for long.
Don't get me wrong, I've been a PS apologist / evangelist for many years but I do sometimes wonder what it is they think they're doing? I like the fact that I love some of theirs LP but hate others though!
Don't get me wrong, I've been a PS apologist / evangelist for many years but I do sometimes wonder what it is they think they're doing? I like the fact that I love some of theirs LP but hate others though!
It had the Monochrome Set on it too, for which I'll be forever grateful:
February 8, 2026 at 1:53 PM
It had the Monochrome Set on it too, for which I'll be forever grateful:
I love the Weather Prophets' Mayflower - which was the only other LP Elevation released I think? - and it still baffles me that it wasn't a much, much bigger hit. But those indie/major crossovers were a v. bad idea.
Did PS ever find "their" way? I love some of their recs but they're an odd band...
Did PS ever find "their" way? I love some of their recs but they're an odd band...
February 8, 2026 at 1:51 PM
I love the Weather Prophets' Mayflower - which was the only other LP Elevation released I think? - and it still baffles me that it wasn't a much, much bigger hit. But those indie/major crossovers were a v. bad idea.
Did PS ever find "their" way? I love some of their recs but they're an odd band...
Did PS ever find "their" way? I love some of their recs but they're an odd band...
It's from their debut EP which, believe it or not, was easier to get hold of in Nottingham in 1981 than White Light White Heat! (I was still at school btw.)
I heard this before the V.U. original too, it was on a comp LP I won in a Smash Hits (!) competition...
I heard this before the V.U. original too, it was on a comp LP I won in a Smash Hits (!) competition...
Waiting For The Man
YouTube video by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Topic
www.youtube.com
February 8, 2026 at 12:26 PM
It's from their debut EP which, believe it or not, was easier to get hold of in Nottingham in 1981 than White Light White Heat! (I was still at school btw.)
I heard this before the V.U. original too, it was on a comp LP I won in a Smash Hits (!) competition...
I heard this before the V.U. original too, it was on a comp LP I won in a Smash Hits (!) competition...
Beware
The
Friendly
Stranger.
The
Friendly
Stranger.
Regular Fries - 'Eclipse'
YouTube video by accidentsinspace
www.youtube.com
February 8, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Beware
The
Friendly
Stranger.
The
Friendly
Stranger.
I heard this version before the V.U.'s.
February 8, 2026 at 12:05 PM
I heard this version before the V.U.'s.
I'm kind of impressed that they made us wait nigh on FORTY years before releasing those early recordings, my old Peel C90s were crumbling to dust by the time the record finally came out! If only they'd waited and recorded their debut for Creation instead of WEA, it worked for the House Of Love...
February 8, 2026 at 12:02 PM
I'm kind of impressed that they made us wait nigh on FORTY years before releasing those early recordings, my old Peel C90s were crumbling to dust by the time the record finally came out! If only they'd waited and recorded their debut for Creation instead of WEA, it worked for the House Of Love...
I've been looking for a spare board game for ages - it was missing from my (used) copy of the LP unfortunately. Meh.
February 8, 2026 at 11:56 AM
I've been looking for a spare board game for ages - it was missing from my (used) copy of the LP unfortunately. Meh.
XTC really lost their edge after Mummer, etc - they could definitely've used some of the junk-shop aesthetic Mr. P applied to his dub experiments I think!
February 8, 2026 at 11:43 AM
XTC really lost their edge after Mummer, etc - they could definitely've used some of the junk-shop aesthetic Mr. P applied to his dub experiments I think!
That debut LP was a massive disappointment after the early 45s & BBC sessions - the Red Krayola's Mayo Thompson produced it so we were all expecting something wild and psychedelic but, nope, it's sterile & dull.
It took PS a long time to get great again: Vanishing Point, XTRMNTR, Evil Heat, etc...
It took PS a long time to get great again: Vanishing Point, XTRMNTR, Evil Heat, etc...
February 8, 2026 at 11:42 AM
That debut LP was a massive disappointment after the early 45s & BBC sessions - the Red Krayola's Mayo Thompson produced it so we were all expecting something wild and psychedelic but, nope, it's sterile & dull.
It took PS a long time to get great again: Vanishing Point, XTRMNTR, Evil Heat, etc...
It took PS a long time to get great again: Vanishing Point, XTRMNTR, Evil Heat, etc...
It's been 4pm on a drizzly Wednesday here for weeks now.
February 8, 2026 at 1:30 AM
It's been 4pm on a drizzly Wednesday here for weeks now.
It's brill and it's easy to forget how different it sounded at the time but, man oh man, it's responsible for an awful lot of insipid twee indie landfill shite that followed it.
Have you heard the Reverberations comp with early Peel sessions, etc?
Have you heard the Reverberations comp with early Peel sessions, etc?
February 7, 2026 at 9:17 PM
It's brill and it's easy to forget how different it sounded at the time but, man oh man, it's responsible for an awful lot of insipid twee indie landfill shite that followed it.
Have you heard the Reverberations comp with early Peel sessions, etc?
Have you heard the Reverberations comp with early Peel sessions, etc?
Have you heard Partridge's Take Away LP? More of the same, brilliantly barmy in parts!
February 7, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Have you heard Partridge's Take Away LP? More of the same, brilliantly barmy in parts!
Wow, stunning but scary!
(Also, thanks for reminding me to pull my copy of Porcupine off the shelf for a long overdue spin...)
(Also, thanks for reminding me to pull my copy of Porcupine off the shelf for a long overdue spin...)
February 7, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Wow, stunning but scary!
(Also, thanks for reminding me to pull my copy of Porcupine off the shelf for a long overdue spin...)
(Also, thanks for reminding me to pull my copy of Porcupine off the shelf for a long overdue spin...)