"There's some good stuff around at the moment, so forgive me but I've got three Singles Of The Fortnight."
— Janice Long
The 1985 batch of Singles of the Fortnight produced co-winners on five occasions, by far the most we've seen so far. Not to be outdone, '86 isn't quite a month old and we've got our first SOTF triple winner. Being a longtime champion of indie music and a close friend of John Peel, it comes as no surprise that guest reviewer Janice Long has marked out a pair of punk throwbacks and an up and coming folkie as personal favourites. I'm not quite as fond of all of 'em but let's start with the best of the bunch — and go downhill from there. (I was going to take the mickey out of her indecisiveness over the three-way draw by writing about every other record in the so-called "cop" section below until I discovered what a truly dire pile of singles she was tasked with. Wanting to save myself the trouble, I went with the safe choice. Plus, four is already too many)
~~~~~
"(This record's getting another push, thank God. So, distribution department — get your act together and put it in the shops!)"
Once a home to the likes of Elvis Costello, Dr. Feelgood, Ian Dury and Nick Lowe, Stiff Records was one of many great labels that cropped up in the aftermath of punk. Aware of new wave/post-punk futurism, they also had an eye on pop music traditions stretching from music hall to Merseybeat. They had legendary reviews that toured Britain in the late seventies and many of their charges became household names. They gradually all departed but replacements were snapped up and many of them — Kirsty MacColl, Madness, The Pogues — also did well for themselves. Still, they may have "stiffed" some of their less successful signings.
As Long suggests, Andy White's record label didn't know what they were doing with him. She's clearly frustrated that such an outstanding record would be so difficult to find but they seem to have even managed to mess up copies that were made available. A short write up in this issue's Bitz section mentions that the single is out in both 7" and 12" formats but there's little to indicate that the latter ever ended up being released except for as a promo. Curious youngsters reading Long's review (as well as those who happened to be listening when she doubtless played it on her Radio 1 show) may have taken a pass on the more expensive EP; those who still took a chance may have been turned off by the lengthy, five, six minute numbers "The Big Rain" and "Things Start to Unwind". Even fans of White's may have taken aback by it: the EP's four tracks all ended up on subsequent solo album Rave on Andy White and they may not have been pleased to have bought them twice. A widely distributed 7" single could have garnered more interest and may have even snagged a chart position.
Long only bothers with the title track (as does Bitz) and she's right to do so. Not that the other songs are inferior but they all smack of being deep cuts that have no business on a single. "Religious Persuasion", however, is the closest thing to a pop song and one that is surprisingly accessible. Not exactly a singalong — it's far too difficult trying to keep up with White — it's a rollicking piece and a fun listen even though the bitterness is hardly disguised. Long says it isn't anti-religion (though it sure doesn't make much of a case for it) but certainly the lyrics poke fun at the ludicrousness and randomness of faith — and even the tendency among people to pick and choose ("I quaked in my sackcloth, threw away my joss-stick, burned my Koran and said I was agnostic").
You don't hear it much anymore but I used to find it fascinating (and a bit irksome) when someone would be described as being of the " ____ persuasion". I wasn't able to grasp that "female persuasion" or "Irish persuasion" were likely intended to be used ironically. They're not talked into their gender or their nationality — or their religion! Well, as far as faith goes they certainly are. Parents talk their young children into their faith, spouses try to convince each other to try their church, nutters on the street who don't know you are convinced that they know what's best for you: religion is built upon getting others to go along with you. In that spirit, Andy White has done his job — and he didn't even have to do much persuading.
~~~~~
"Great start to 1986 for Lydon, eh? Being awarded all that money in the court case and a single that looks set to become a number one."
I've always wondered if it ever annoys John Lydon that his best group is completely overshadowed by his previous, more famous unit. (I'd ask but (a) I don't know him and (b) I'd be too scared of his response) Public Image Ltd already had a deeper and stronger back catalog by the mid-eighties than the Sex Pistols, even if you factor in that horrible crap that they belched out after their charismatic frontman departed in 1978. Of course if PiL have been so slighted, Lydon hasn't done much to combat it.
Having started off with British musicians such as Jah Wobble and Keith Leverne, Lydon's eventual move to the US resulted in a much more American band — with some fellow expats joining in. The post-punk and reggae influences were done away with but he avoided pulling a Fleetwood Mac with sunshine LA pop because he kept his eyes on trends in hip hop and indie. He took a lot of flack for bringing in rock dinosaurs like Cream's Ginger Baker but anyone who was able to get jazz drummer Tony Williams to work with them has my instant respect. With influences from all over the shop and a similarly catholic pack of sessioners, this is far from Lydon's "American" sound, rather a reflection of his individualism.
But I'm more an admirer than a fan. "Rise" is fine. Long is correct about the chorus being surprisingly catchy (and, during the much repeated "may the road rise with you" line, His Nibs even comes close to singing!) and it's quite the sonic experience, a testament to some fine production and arranging and Lydon's creative mind. What's missing is a song. Lyrics and tune are repetitive and there's a sense that he and collaborator Bill Laswell underwrote a piece that had been such a startling sound experience. There are lots of good ideas here but they're in need of something else. Like "Manic Monday" (see below), it's nice but it goes "absolutely nowhere". Interesting and with elements to enjoy but just lacking that bit of spark that separates "Religious Persuasion" from "Eloise". Speaking of which...
~~~~~
"Go for it lads! (Even if I am exhausted at the end of it.)"
~~~~~
"(This record's getting another push, thank God. So, distribution department — get your act together and put it in the shops!)"
Once a home to the likes of Elvis Costello, Dr. Feelgood, Ian Dury and Nick Lowe, Stiff Records was one of many great labels that cropped up in the aftermath of punk. Aware of new wave/post-punk futurism, they also had an eye on pop music traditions stretching from music hall to Merseybeat. They had legendary reviews that toured Britain in the late seventies and many of their charges became household names. They gradually all departed but replacements were snapped up and many of them — Kirsty MacColl, Madness, The Pogues — also did well for themselves. Still, they may have "stiffed" some of their less successful signings.
As Long suggests, Andy White's record label didn't know what they were doing with him. She's clearly frustrated that such an outstanding record would be so difficult to find but they seem to have even managed to mess up copies that were made available. A short write up in this issue's Bitz section mentions that the single is out in both 7" and 12" formats but there's little to indicate that the latter ever ended up being released except for as a promo. Curious youngsters reading Long's review (as well as those who happened to be listening when she doubtless played it on her Radio 1 show) may have taken a pass on the more expensive EP; those who still took a chance may have been turned off by the lengthy, five, six minute numbers "The Big Rain" and "Things Start to Unwind". Even fans of White's may have taken aback by it: the EP's four tracks all ended up on subsequent solo album Rave on Andy White and they may not have been pleased to have bought them twice. A widely distributed 7" single could have garnered more interest and may have even snagged a chart position.
Long only bothers with the title track (as does Bitz) and she's right to do so. Not that the other songs are inferior but they all smack of being deep cuts that have no business on a single. "Religious Persuasion", however, is the closest thing to a pop song and one that is surprisingly accessible. Not exactly a singalong — it's far too difficult trying to keep up with White — it's a rollicking piece and a fun listen even though the bitterness is hardly disguised. Long says it isn't anti-religion (though it sure doesn't make much of a case for it) but certainly the lyrics poke fun at the ludicrousness and randomness of faith — and even the tendency among people to pick and choose ("I quaked in my sackcloth, threw away my joss-stick, burned my Koran and said I was agnostic").
You don't hear it much anymore but I used to find it fascinating (and a bit irksome) when someone would be described as being of the " ____ persuasion". I wasn't able to grasp that "female persuasion" or "Irish persuasion" were likely intended to be used ironically. They're not talked into their gender or their nationality — or their religion! Well, as far as faith goes they certainly are. Parents talk their young children into their faith, spouses try to convince each other to try their church, nutters on the street who don't know you are convinced that they know what's best for you: religion is built upon getting others to go along with you. In that spirit, Andy White has done his job — and he didn't even have to do much persuading.
~~~~~
"Great start to 1986 for Lydon, eh? Being awarded all that money in the court case and a single that looks set to become a number one."
Having started off with British musicians such as Jah Wobble and Keith Leverne, Lydon's eventual move to the US resulted in a much more American band — with some fellow expats joining in. The post-punk and reggae influences were done away with but he avoided pulling a Fleetwood Mac with sunshine LA pop because he kept his eyes on trends in hip hop and indie. He took a lot of flack for bringing in rock dinosaurs like Cream's Ginger Baker but anyone who was able to get jazz drummer Tony Williams to work with them has my instant respect. With influences from all over the shop and a similarly catholic pack of sessioners, this is far from Lydon's "American" sound, rather a reflection of his individualism.
But I'm more an admirer than a fan. "Rise" is fine. Long is correct about the chorus being surprisingly catchy (and, during the much repeated "may the road rise with you" line, His Nibs even comes close to singing!) and it's quite the sonic experience, a testament to some fine production and arranging and Lydon's creative mind. What's missing is a song. Lyrics and tune are repetitive and there's a sense that he and collaborator Bill Laswell underwrote a piece that had been such a startling sound experience. There are lots of good ideas here but they're in need of something else. Like "Manic Monday" (see below), it's nice but it goes "absolutely nowhere". Interesting and with elements to enjoy but just lacking that bit of spark that separates "Religious Persuasion" from "Eloise". Speaking of which...
~~~~~
"Go for it lads! (Even if I am exhausted at the end of it.)"
Singers such as Marc Almond and Nick Cave began showing an interest in finding the dark side of sixties pop songs at around this time and The Damned do a commendable job of seeking it in "Eloise". They probably even find it for all I know. Yet, it's not a great song and with a performance that is far too over the top for me to feel invested in it. But what do I know? Their cover of "Eloise" proved to be almost as big a hit as Ryan's version seventeen years earlier so whatever these recordings had going against them, the punters lapped it all up. I wonder if they, too, felt as exhausted as Long and I both did.
~~~~~
Also Reviewed This Fortnight
The Bangles: "Manic Monday"
"It's very "nice" — nothing more, nothing less."
Written by "Christopher" (aka Prince, in one of those pop fun facts that everyone thinks no one else knows), "Manic Monday" was a breakthrough for The Bangles who were either the throwaway pop group it was okay to like or the classic pop-rock torchbearers who were never quite up to snuff. Neither is true but that was the feeling. Long's assessment seems dismissive but is she wrong? A great song is sometimes just a great song. (I would've chosen another record from this issue but for the fact that there wasn't anything else of note that could inspire just a piddly little paragraph) Much disappointed to discover that the line is "have to catch an early train, got to be to work by nine" and not that she had to be "in Duluth by nine", as I had always assumed it to be; "Christopher" was from Minnesota, you know.
"It's very "nice" — nothing more, nothing less."
Written by "Christopher" (aka Prince, in one of those pop fun facts that everyone thinks no one else knows), "Manic Monday" was a breakthrough for The Bangles who were either the throwaway pop group it was okay to like or the classic pop-rock torchbearers who were never quite up to snuff. Neither is true but that was the feeling. Long's assessment seems dismissive but is she wrong? A great song is sometimes just a great song. (I would've chosen another record from this issue but for the fact that there wasn't anything else of note that could inspire just a piddly little paragraph) Much disappointed to discover that the line is "have to catch an early train, got to be to work by nine" and not that she had to be "in Duluth by nine", as I had always assumed it to be; "Christopher" was from Minnesota, you know.
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