TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 august 15

1 Fauves : Tortured Soul
2 Sea Urchins : Summershine
3 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Come Saturday
4 Astronauts : Back Soon
5 BTP Folders : All Of A Sudden
6 Gobblinz : Communique
7 Indelicates : America
8 Ting Tings : Shut Up And Let Me Go
9 Exhibit A : Distance
10 Vivian Girls : Wild Eyes
11 Newpolitans : Duck Town
12 Tagmemics : Chimneys
13 Penny Candles : Memory Box
14 Pathetix : Love In Decay
15 Lucky Soul : Add Your Light To Mine Baby
16 Tuxedo Moon : Pinheads On The Move
17 Summer Cats : Lonely Planet
18 Wave Pictures : Strange Fruit For David
19 Manhattan Love Suicides : Clusterfuck
20 Alphabeat : 10,000 Nights

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Only A Northern Love Song

1. Many years ago, 1980, in a rainy city named Manchester a record label called Object existed. Grow-Up was responsible for one of the label's greatest pop moments. It was their second release on Object, the first featured six tracks of tentative and twisty half-formed songs. An LP called The Best Thing was an extension of ideas that had been toyed with on the debut single. Then suddenly out of nowhere came Joanne.

2.

A stop-start paean to young love among the rocks kissed by the North Sea surf, the jittery nervousness of that first crush, the awe in which the loved one is observed while doing the most mundane things, these are touchingly conveyed. "From Scarborough Harbour to Whitley Bay, I'm gonna love you for just one day", they sing and then declare, in glorious contradiction, the genius line "Will you marry me before I go gay?" If they had been a hundred miles further north they would have been Orange Juice. The b side has two tunes called "The Affirmation of Existence" and "Gggdadgadadad" so they were probably art students who eventually merged into one and became Tracey Emin, but for the sake of Joanne we can forgive them that.

3.

Another LP was released, Without Wings on the Up label, shortly before they grew up too much to devote time to an unsuccessful band. Much of the LP was more in the spirit of Joanne with occasional daring adventures into jazzy pop; their tuneful tinkering deserved more than the oblivion that embraced it.

4.

Listen to it on imeem.

EYE ON EBAY

Here's a first on T.Rev. I'm commenting on an auction that is due to finish later today. Up for grabs is Ten Feet Tall by the Flowershop. It's not a cover of the XTC song. It is though a cracking C86ish pop tune and one I stumbled across in a charity shop last year along with a batch of Cherry Orchard flexis. No bids as yet but it's available as a buy it now at a very reasonable price. Any lovers of pop left alive? That Noah And The Whale single can wait until next week, sand down your bidding fingers and prepare to pounce. Trust me, I'm a blogger.

Turntable Revolution Mixtape 2 Revolving

1. The Cybermen - Cybernetic Surgery
2. Scrotum Poles - Pick The Cats Eyes Out
3. Reacta - Sus
4. The Desperate Bicycles - The Medium was Tedium
5. Martin & the Brownshirts - Boring
6. Bleach Boys - Chloroform
7. Sema 4 - up down around
8. Art Attacks - Neutron Bomb
9. Pseudo Existors - Now
10. The Wasps - Teenage Treats
11. Sods - No Pictures
12. Satan's Rats - In My Love For You
13. Negatives (Bradford UK) - Love Is Not Real

Turntable Revolution Record Collection 14

Nostalgia is not a modern obsession

Nostalgia is not a modern obsession. The fifties American family was celebrated on the cover of this 1988 flexi release by the Peach Thieves. Prosperous and fun-loving, the uniform of happiness for the girls is pleated skirts which implies a rigid adherence to structure and formality. Are the men wearing bespoke trousers? The little girl is goggle-eyed as if she's never entertained the notion of a spherical object propelling itself forward without continuous aid from a human limb. One feels this is not an instant or an ecstatic seizure, rather that this family was permanently in thrall to joy. The elder girl is already accepting her future role to some stifling husband as she brings forth the crass nectar of 1950's corporate America, Coca Cola. And where better place to offload all that youthful energy your kids are harnessing than the bowling alley? The adamantine ideals, such as truth, justice and the attaining of the American dream, parents are eager to instill in their offspring can be forged in the healthy competitiveness sport encourages.

The sleeve is misleading as the two tracks the Peach Thieves offer us are in a C86 style. They came from Lindal-in-Furness, Cumbria and they were Philip on vocals and guitar, Johnny on guitar, Shaun on bass and Chris on drums. Johnny is modelling himself on Johnny Marr on the reverse sleeve. The record is dedicated to Vic Godard. I'd hazard a guess he never heard it. Both tracks are accomplished. Morecambe Bay is a slow wistful paean to the summer of 1987 when the boys were apparently being bullied by surfers on the beach.

What became of the Peach Thieves? Who were they? Did they ever release anything else?

Hear Out Of The Nowhere on imeem.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 august 8

1 Indelicates : America
2 Astronauts : Back Soon
3 Sea Urchins : Summershine
4 Fauves : Tortured Soul
5 Exhibit A : Distance
6 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Come Saturday
7 Gobblinz : Communique
8 Vivian Girls : Wild Eyes
9 Newpolitans : Duck Town
10 Penny Candles : Memory Box
11 Alphabeat : 10,000 Nights
12 Manhattan Love Suicides : Clusterfuck
13 Lucky Soul : Add Your Light To Mine Baby
14 Wave Pictures : Strange Fruit For David
15 Ting Tings : Shut Up And Let Me Go
16 Squad : Red Alert
17 Pathetix : Love In Decay
18 Tuxedo Moon : Pinheads On The Move
19 Tagmemics : Chimneys
20 Reacta : Stop The World

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY

The Machines aggressive muddily-produced True Life ep accrues £83.25. If you want a taste of the Machines I suggest you buy the compilation Bored Teenagers 4 on Bin Liner records which also contains the amusing Public Pisstake and a powerpop classic by the Elevators.

Turntable Revolution Record Collection 13

Singles Selection

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 august 1

1 Indelicates : America
2 Sea Urchins : Summershine
3 Astronauts : Back Soon
4 Alphabeat : 10,000 Nights
5 Penny Candles : Memory Box
6 Newpolitans : Duck Town
7 Manhattan Love Suicides : Clusterfuck
8 Exhibit A : Distance
9 Gobblinz : Communique
10 Vivian Girls : Wild Eyes
11 Wave Pictures : Strange Fruit For David
12 Squad : Red Alert
13 Lucky Soul : Add Your Light To Mine Baby
14 Reacta : Stop The World
15 Mob : Give It To Me
16 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Come Saturday
17 Peach Thieves : Out Of The Nowhere
18 Scabs : Amory Building
19 False Idols : Ego Wino
20 Fauves : Tortured Soul

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY

Das Schnitz was a band formed at Torquay Boys Grammar School. They crossed the sexual divide and played a fifteen minute gig at the girls grammar school. In early 1979 Ellie Jay helped them attain immortality by pressing 533 of their only single. About 100 of the singles had sleeves "designed" by the band, they couldn't afford proper sleeves so they bought a large quantity of unused ones and scribbled their name on them. Blondie, Funkadelic and Chaka Khan were a few of the artists that had their sleeves doctored. Despite the "support" of those famous pop stars their notoriety remained rooted in the Torquay area.
Appearing sleeveless on ebay the single sold for a paltry £63.90. Those with sleeves usually sell nearer the £100 mark.

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Sarah 13 and 14 surface and I venture a conservative bid. They are eventually scooped up for £35.10. I have virtually every Sarah release but the flexi and fanzine evade me. I'm confident they'll reappear as I've lost them on several occasions. Patience is prudent sometimes.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP20 july 25

1 Indelicates : America
2 Sea Urchins : Summershine
3 Penny Candles : Memory Box
4 Newpolitans : Duck Town
5 Astronauts : Back Soon
6 Scabs : Amory Building
7 Wave Pictures : Strange Fruit For David
8 Manhattan Love Suicides : Clusterfuck
9 Alphabeat : 10,000 Nights
10 Mob : Give It To Me
11 Exhibit A : Distance
12 Reacta : Stop The World
13 Gobblinz : Communique
14 Ebony Bones : Don't Fart On My Heart
15 Kissamatic Lovebubble : Only Lust
16 Squad : Red Alert
17 Vivian Girls : Wild Eyes
18 Apple Creation : One In A Mirror
19 Lucky Soul : Add Your Light To Mine Baby
20 Peach Thieves : Out Of The Nowhere

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY

I sometimes think I'm doing Popsike's job here, venerable site though it is there are glaring omissions. Latest news for those who like their punk Welsh is that the Screen Gemz single made another appearance. Despite having its picture cover it barely peeked over the three figure parapet selling for £113. On the previous two occasions their single appeared on ebay it sold for well over £200.

A demo by C86 stalwarts the Siddeleys achieved a respectable £88. I did bid on this but exercised self control. I'm surprised it didn't make three figures. Back in the early 90's I bought their exceptional 12" from a seller advertising in Record Collector for a meagre £7. A bargain.

Turntable Revolution Mixtape 1 Revolving

Tracklisting For Mixtape 1 (To Listen - Press The Play Button)

1. Heavenly - C Is the Heavenly Option
2. The Wave Pictures - Strange Fruit For David
3. The Sea Urchins - Summershine
4. Daniel Johnston - Fish
5. The Indelicates - America
6. O Level - Pseudo Punk
7. A Classic Education - Lovers Barricade
8. Desperate Bicycles - I Am Nine
9. Vivian Girls - Tell The World
10. The Field Mice - Sensitive
11. Joanna Newsome - Sprout And The Bean
12. Razorcuts - I'll Still Be There
13. Shop Assistants - Safety Net
14. My Bloody Valentine - Lovelee Sweet Darlene
15. Wolfhounds - The Anti-Midas Touch
16. Astronauts - Back Soon
17. Potting Sheds - Happy Again
18. Amy And The Angels - I Hate Being In Love
19. Grown Up Strange - A Wing And A Prayer
20. No Entry Band - Cold And Lonely Life

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 july18

1 Scabs : Amory Building
2 Newpolitans : Duck Town
3 Sea Urchins : Summershine
4 Mob : Give It To Me
5 Penny Candles : Memory Box
6 Wave Pictures : Strange Fruit For David
7 Ebony Bones : Don't Fart On My Heart
8 Astronauts : Back Soon
9 Manhattan Love Suicides : Clusterfuck
10 Kissamatic Lovebubble : Only Lust
11 Exhibit A : Distance
12 Some Loves : Know You Now
13 Reacta : Stop The World
14 Apple Creation : One In A Mirror
15 Kitchen Cinq : Determination
16 Ting Tings : That's Not My Name
17 Nautical William : Love House
18 Daniel Johnston : Fish
19 Gobblinz : Communique
20 Squad : Red Alert

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Turntable Revolution Record Collection 12

Caught in the maelstrom

It's 1992 and Spaghetti Head is caught in the maelstrom of the indie dance. Do you miss those times? If you do here's a band that sound like the Happy Mondays, Farm and the Soup Dragons. Steeped in the mood of the moment they weren't because the indie dance had been murdered in the mosh pits as Nirvana and their head-shaking hordes swept through the venues of Britain. Grunge was a big sponge that soaked up those who were all Bezzed out.

It was the girlfriend who directed me towards this lot and as she has a well trained ear I had no hesitation in rescuing this from a charity shop in Ruislip Manor. It's an unpleasant cover and Spaghetti Head is an atrocious name so even before this hits the decks you're consciously disliking it. Once it gets its groove though you feel compelled to rotate wildly. There's no info on the band and the B side is an instrumental version of Glad! Did they release anything else? It's doubtful considering they couldn't even supply an original B side. This really is the behaviour of a bunch of session musicians.

Worst band names league:

1 Toad The Wet Sprocket

2 Regular Fries

3 Spaghetti Head

Food and band names, not a good idea (I'm sure they eat toads somewhere).

EYE ON EBAY

Some may accuse the Ting Tings of being as insubstantial as a bouquet of feathers but there was substantial interest in their Fruit Machine 7", apparently a gig only item. It sold for an eye-opening £135. I wonder if it'll generate that much interest in a few years time.

Another notable money maker was a Jam acetate, Strange Town, which collected the seller a formidable prize of £768.

Surprisingly the Buzzcocks first release Spiral Scratch amassed a healthy £56.79. I remember paying £10 for mine, that's the one without Devoto's name on the front of the sleeve, to a boy at school back in 1977. When it was reissued I was mildly annoyed especially as it was nearly identical to the original. The New Hormones original was pressed and pressed again due to demand so there are in the region of 15,000 out there hence my bewilderment at its high sale price. Looks like I made a reasonable investment.

They came from Coventry

They came from Coventry, or at least the label was based there. Boys And Girls Records had released an earlier record, a 7" compilation EP called Boys And Girls Come Out To Play which is incredibly rare, if you know of its whereabouts let me know, which featured one track by the Human Cabbages. There were five cabbages, Rosa on vocals, Steve Teers on organ, synth and trombone, Johnny Fagsnbooze (I want that surname) on guitar and vocals, Stan on bass and Steve W. on drums. This vinyl delight was released in 1981 to unimaginable disinterest.

The lead track "The Witch" is a jaunty ditty about a visit to said witch, whether a white or black witch is not clear. But one imagines witches of both persuasions abound in the midlands. Judging by the organ sound the band had been to a funfair just before recording this gem. "Air Raid Shelter" is a messy clash of post punk leaning towards groggy prog with a dash of smog-ingested rock to confuse.

After this the Human Cabbages disappeared, perhaps they were savaged by greenfly.

Final track I will be offering on Imeem to let you enjoy for yourselves.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 july 11

1 Scabs : Amory Building
2 Wave Pictures : Strange Fruit For David
3 Kissamatic Lovebubble : Only Lust
4 Ebony Bones : Don't Fart On My Heart
5 Sea Urchins : Summershine
6 Some Loves : Know You Now
7 Penny Candles : Memory Box
8 Mob : Give It To Me
9 Kitchen Cinq : Determination
10 Newpolitans : Duck Town
11 Daniel Johnston : Fish
12 Nautical William : Love House
13 Manhattan Love Suicides : Clusterfuck
14 Astronauts : Back Soon
15 Ting Tings : That's Not My Name
16 Apple Creation : One In A Mirror
17 Exhibit A : Distance
18 Water Pistols : Gimme That Punk Junk
19 25 Views Of Worthing : You Are What You Eat
20 Autumn Leaves : You Didn't Say A Word

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Turntable Revolution Record Collection 11

SECONDHAND RECORD SHOP CLOSES

My sadness at yet another secondhand record shop closing prevented me from coming up with a snappy title. It was probably a couple of years ago when Eastcote Sellanby closed its doors. Memorable mostly for its extensive collection of Rolf Harris paraphernalia it was never a source of gasp-out-loud finds. A Shelley Fabares LP, an Yma Sumac LP, the C86 comp on vinyl and the Horrorcomic CD are hardly a gold tinted crop but all were very reasonably priced. I probably darkened its doors half a dozen times and never quite found the courage to ask the rather grumpy owner if he'd do me a deal on a Rolf Harris stylophone. Since the shop's demise I have often pondered the fate of Rolf' miscellany.

And so I consoled myself with the knowledge that there still remained the South Harrow Sellanby. But no more. From a distance all seemed well, the gaudy yellow sign still proudly protruded from above the shop, but then I saw the Sellanby sign lying forlornly on the ground. It had been violently chopped in half and within the shop a couple of men were lazily measuring planks of wood. So it's Sellanbye bye to the shop where I acquired a Times LP for a negligible price a few years back. Will I venture to South Harrow again? Maybe as in the past I found the Koobas comp on Bam Caruso for a £1 and the 35 Summers 12" in the nearby charity shops.

What shops are left? Alan's in East Finchley is thriving. Others still open include Sounds Original in South Ealing, Rollin' Records in West Wickham, Flashback in Islington and Crouch End, Boogaloo in Fulham, a shop in Kingston, a shop in Hendon and a shop in Beckenham. Unless you know otherwise.

Turntable Revolution Music on Muxtape

http://turntablerevolution.muxtape.com/
Turntable Revolution On Muxtape. New And Improved. Now With Added Band Names And Song Titles!
Haywains - Now I've Got One Up On You
A R Kane - Baby Milk Snatcher
XTC - Grass
Field Mice - Song Six
All Over The Place - Scattered
No Flags E.T.C. - Don't Bring Me Back
A Chocolate Morning - If You Want Me
Amy And The Angels - I Hate Being In Love
Club Hoy- On And On
No Entry Band - Cold And Lonely Life
Susan Christie - Rainy Day
Dave,Dee,Dozy,Beaky,Mick & Tich - The Sun Goes Down

THINGS I WANT (NEED)

These I want, must own:

Evening Outs : Channel
Keen : Feline Groovy
Book 'Em Danno : Papa's Got A Brand New Disease
Deadly Toys : Nice Weather
Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
Tin Openers : Set Me Free
Beyond The Implode : Last Thoughts

That's the tip of a very deep iceberg which, despite global warming, refuses to melt.
Some C86 related stuff and some punky glory, that 45 Revolutions book is a dangerous
tome to own. The Evening Outs is highlighted as I want it most of all.
Anyone got any of these they want to sell?

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 july 4

1 Wave Pictures : Strange Fruit For David
2 Kitchen Cinq : Determination
3 Some Loves : Know You Now
4 Kissamatic Lovebubble : Only Lust
5 Daniel Johnston : Fish
6 Ebony Bones : Don't Fart On My Heart
7 Water Pistols : Gimme That Punk Junk
8 Nautical William : Love House
9 Autumn Leaves : You Didn't Say A Word
10 Thanes : Hey Girl (Look What You've Done
11 Sea Urchins : Summershine
12 Penny Candles : Memory Box
13 Scabs : Amory Building
14 Manhattan Love Suicides : Clusterfuck
15 Penny Candles : Taj Mahal
16 Astronauts : All Night Party
17 Ting Tings : That's Not My Name
18 Mob : Give It To Me
19 Hill Bandits : Nowhere Train
20 Jetset : Judy's Toy Box

Green numbers indicate new entries.

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Of late I'm being outbid on everything. Astronomical prices for relatively new records is the theme. Anything with Josephine Foster's name creeps dangerously close to three figures. I'm talking vinyl here, not CD. A friend paid in the region of £40 for one of her LP's some months back and now hails that as a steal. Said LP, Hazel Eyes, fetched over twice that on ebay this week. I'm prepared to wait for it to slip into MVE where I'm certain some ignoramus will thump a £15 sticker on it.

Then there's the Vivian Girls LP. Released within the last year the vinyl merrily meanders around the £40 mark. 500 were issued on vinyl and it seems to crop up every week. I'm wondering if any of the sellers actually wanted it or if they were all speculators. Will all 500 appear on ebay and if so will I be able to obtain it for a fiver?

Turntable Revolution Record Collection 10

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 june 27

1 Daniel Johnston : Fish
2 Kitchen Cinq : Determination
3 Thanes : Hey Girl (Look What You've Done)
4 Some Loves : Know You Now
5 Nautical William : Love House
6 Autumn Leaves : You Didn't Say A Word
7 Wave Pictures : Strange Fruit For David
8 Jetset : Judy's Toy Box
9 Kissamatic Lovebubble : Only Lust
10 Astronauts : All Night Party
11 Water Pistols : Gimme That Punk Junk
12 Penny Candles : Taj Mahal
13 Hill Bandits : Nowhere Train
14 Manhattan Love Suicides : Clusterfuck
15 Ebony Bones : Don't Fart On My Heart
16 Der Plan : Gummi Twist
17 Fragile Friends : The Novelty Wears Off
18 School : All I Wanna Do
19 Ting Tings : That's Not My Name
20 Estelle : American Boy

Green numbers indicate new entries.