Seven Inches of Joy #8 - Quickspace Supersport

Quickspace Supersport - Quickspace Happy Song (#1) [Kitty Kitty Corporation 1995] - Cat # CHOOSY01

Like all good (and some god awful) music this really reminds me of where I was at when it was originally released. I seemed to spending all my free time hanging around North London, watching bands that never went anywhere, but still have a huge place in my heart. This was the heyday of Mo' Wax, Warp, Too Pure and a whole slew of wonderful British labels and artists. Despite '95 being the height of Brit Pop, if you made the effort to scratch beneath the surface you'd find there was so much more going on. It wasn't just people wearing Union Jack underpants, conning themselves that the swinging 60's were happening again whilst bigging up Tony Blair. Well not for the most part anyway.

So for every Blur and Oasis there were ten other far more exciting bands to follow. Quickspace Supersport, (who later dropped the Supersport) were one such band. I used to catch them live at least once a month, and at every gig there seemed to be a line up change. The one constant was founder member Tom Cullinan, who'd previously led Th' Faith Healers to nowhere in particular.

This was their debut single, and it manages to capture those early ramshackle gigs fairly well. It sounds like they pretty much went into the studio played it through a few times then pressed it up. It has a warm fuzzy feel to it, sounds are not isolated but rather just bleed into one another. Of course the whole thing is juddering to a halt before you've even had a chance to start singing along. All the way through it sounds like it's about to collapse in on itself at any moment, tempos rise and fall and off key vocals are the order of the day. It'll never be mistaken for a Trevor Horn production.

So all these years later this little seven inch still gets it's fair share of time on my record player, and still sounds as good as it did on the day I bought it. The lack of production helps make it less a product of it's time and more something that continues to sound fresh and vibrant to my well worn lugholes. Great little hand made sleeve too, and the first release on their own Kitty Kitty Corporation label to boot. Quickspace went on to release loads more music, some of it even better than this track, and yet it's always this piece of vinyl I dig out to play when I need that kick that only music can deliver.

Seven Inches of Joy #7 - Eno

Eno - Seven Deadly Finns [Island 1974] - Cat# WIP6178

Who would have thought back in '73 that the weird little androgynous fella covered in more slap and faux leopard skin than Bet Lynch, would go on to do much when he left Roxy Music? I mean c'mon he didn't even play a real instrument or anything. He just preened away whilst operating his suitcase synth, slyly pulling enough 'birds' to cause Roxy frontman Bryan Ferry to oust him from the band.

But of course he did go on to do so much, and in a weird roundabout sort of way he managed to become a household name, all without having to ever suck the corporate teat. But this isn't going to become an Eno bio, since I'm here to natter on about one song in particular.  

Seven Deadly Finns was Eno's first ever single release. Issued in the gap between his first two solo albums proper (No Pussyfooting being a collaboration of course), this slice of proto-New Wave is a bit of a forgotten gem. Lyrically it's up there with the best (and dirtiest) of Eno's early glam sleaze catalogue. The seven titular Finns are sailors who visit a French brothel, giving Eno plenty of opportunity to throw a few double entendres about. Which shouldn't come as a huge shock to anyone who has studied the cover or title of Here Come The Warm Jets.

I think this is one of Eno's best 70's vocals, just listen to that 'Oh' that kicks the song off, and then consider that less than three minutes later he's ending it all by yodeling away. In between is a large dollop of Doo Wop as well as the usual half spoken half sung voice that we're all used to. Musically it's a real treat too, full of stop start drums, mad backing vocals and one of the most deranged guitar solos you'll ever hear. In short - perfection.

This is the only song ever released by Eno and his then backing band The Winkies. Although they also recorded a couple of sessions for John Peel that have only ever turned up on bootlegs, the Dali's Car one is well worth tracking down. As are the German and Italian versions of this single which both come housed in different sleeves. The British version doesn't have a sleeve, but does have a lovely Pink Island rim around the label to make up for it. A remastered version that sounds quite different was made available on the long deleted vocal ENOBOX, that came out back in the nineties. So far that's the only way to get hold of this on CD. So if I was you I'd have a hunt around for one of the 7"s, since they go for about a fiver on E-Bay.

Seven Inches of Joy #6 - Comet Gain

Comet Gain - You Can Hide Your Love Forever [Fortuna Pop! 2001] - CAT# FPOP26

Comet Gain seem to have been around forever and then some, without ever really getting anywhere. Like most 'non corporate hey we don't have a five year plan' bands they never seem to get any bigger or any smaller, they just keep playing the same old venues year after year. It's sad since you know that the poor sods in the band will never make a living off of their music, and at some point in the future will have to admit defeat and try to pick up their lives from that point onwards. Still that's the glamour of the pop life for you isn't it?

They've been around since the year dot (well the early '90's), and have been on more record labels than there are swear words in a Ken Loach film. They're from that Graham Coxon shambling North London Indie school of music, which I used to adore, but now don't feel quite so much affinity for. The ever fluctuating line up centered around main bod David Feck have, like so many bands of their ilk released a huge stack of records that you'd be lucky to find in your local HMV.

They can be a little hit and miss, but when they get it right, they are perfection in a polyester shirt. You Can Hide Your Love Forever is one of those moments, and it must be these occasions of greatness that motivate the band to keep on keeping on. The title is an obvious nod to Orange Juice's second LP, and that's David Feck in a nutshell really. He wears his influences like a well worn suit, yet still manages to come up with something that sounds distinctly his own.

This is such a joyous song which comes with that essential sing along in the chorus option. By rights this would (and should), fill the sticky beer soaked dance floor of any local Indie emporium, with enough bespectacled misunderstood poets to please even the hardest Smiths fan. Of course it comes in the obligatory folded paper sleeve in plastic bag, and is quite possibly the thickest, heaviest seven inch in my collection (steady on there, let's keep it clean shall we). It also still goes for a fair bit of money, which is not bad for a ten year old single is it?

Seven Inches of Joy #5 - Another Sunny Day

Another Sunny Day - You Should All Be Murdered [Sarah Records 1989] - Cat# SARAH22

I've always had a soft spot for Sarah Records, but then I've always rooted for the underdog. Right from the start they seemed to get tarred (incorrectly I'd say) by the music press with the twee brush, and were subsequently never really able to get out from under that. They had a fiercely loyal following, but unlike Creation, 4AD, Factory, Heavenly, Rough Trade or any of the other big Indies of the day, they never managed to make that transition to the 'proper' charts. It's a shame since I'd say about 70% of what they released was some of the best music around back then. It's just that not all that many people got to hear it. Consequently bands like The Orchids, The Field Mice, Blueboy (no not the Remember Me one) and Another Sunny Day never really got the audience they deserved.

Another Sunny Day is Harvey Williams, who also played in both The Field Mice and Blueboy. He's a bit of a top boy all said. You Should All Be Murdered is one of his greatest moments and his third single for Sarah (if you include his flexi single - which I do). It's an angry (for Sarah) slice of vinyl where Harvey lists all the people that should be removed from the planet. Obviously it's all a bit tongue in cheek, or at least I like to think so. The lyrics are a long ranting list of all the types of people that have let Mr. Williams down over the years, set to a Smithsy jangle that turns into a bit of a Wedding Present thrash towards the end. And very nice it is too.

Time has been kind to Sarah and those lucky enough to have released anything on the label. Something I don't see diminishing anytime soon, after all record collectors seem to love nothing more than unearthing gems that passed previous generations by. Surely Rhino are putting together a lavish box set as you read this. Well perhaps not.

Those early Sarah 7's are the quintessential Indie singles of the day too, coming housed not only in a wraparound sleeve (in a plastic bag of course), but also with an array of inserts. This one comes with part of a poster that could only be completed by buying the next twenty or so releases.

You won't be able to find this for pennies, but sometimes the good things in life cost a little. So treat yourself and splash out on a copy.

Seven Inches of Joy #4 - Arab Strap

Arab Strap - Hey! Fever [Chemikal Underground 1997] - Cat# CHEM017

Ask anyone about the greatest post Britpop British songwriters and I bet you they don't mention Aidan Moffat. If they do, buy them a pint, since that's a person with good taste - a valuable friend that will always make you seem cool by association.

I'm biased I guess, since both me and the wife think Arab Strap are the greatest thing since vegetarian sushi. Moffat is equal parts Len Cohen and Mark E Smith with a dash of Irvine Welsh slung in for good measure. His lyrics read like dirty novellas and his voice is like Guinness, a bit harsh at first but once you get used to it you'll never want for anything else. Great drummer too.

Anyway onto the music which for Arab Strap is just so gloriously upbeat, built as it all is around a locked groove drum pattern and an almost Italian House style piano. Belle & Sebastian's Chris Geddes adds some lovely organ flourishes, and is joined by his band mate Stuart Murdoch who chimes in with the choir that arrives towards the end of the track. Aidan meanwhile sings his vocal as if he's propping up the bar down the local boozer. I can't listen to this without a big dopey grin on my face, it's just such a perfect track. I love the fussy bass line too, especially when it really starts going for it during the end section.

It was cool when we all left together last night,
Half two in the morning, I swear it was light,
You ran off ahead, we brought up the rear,
By the time we arrived, you'd drank all our beer.

Obviously the song title is a play on words of not only hay fever (as mentioned towards the end of the song), but also The Beatles Hey Jude which is referenced in the sing along section at the end. As usual for anything Arab Strap related the sleeve art is great, with each format having a different girl as it's cover star. For the 7" it's Morag Campbell looking like she's having a whale of a time at Pennies Nightclub.

Arab Strap stuff can be picked up easily enough, you really owe it to yourself to do so.

Seven Inches of Joy #3 - Dirty Beaches

Dirty Beaches - True Blue [Zoo Music 2010] - Cat# ZM006

Alex Zhang Hungtai (Dirty Beaches to you and me) takes a step back from his usual Suicide at Sun Studios schtick, to salute the magic of The Ronettes with this gorgeous slice of vinyl sadness. True Blue is built around a loop of the first 8 seconds of Keep on Dancing by The Ronettes, over which Alex has added a mournful guitar line. He's also half inched the vocal melody of Be My Baby which he croons in his best Roy Orbison (complete with falsetto) voice. 

Lyrically it's that old chestnut of a lonely guy pounding the streets, pining for lost love. On paper it all sounds like the sort of thing I'd usually run a mile from, but this isn't just some present day attempt at sounding retro. So while it might sound like some old dusty single, it's actually quite modern what with the sampling and all that. It's over almost before it begins, but for the short space of time it's with us True Blue is just so heartbreakingly beautiful. Be warned, there will be tears.

Limited to just a 1,000 copies this 7" only release is already a bit of a collectors item. But fret not since both this and the flip side (the aces Sweet 17) are both on the easy to find Badlands LP, which was one of my favourite records of last year.

Seven Inches of Joy #2 - Syd Dale

Syd Dale - Theme to Screen Test (Marching There and Back) [Trunk 2002] - Cat# JBH 01

It's all about the drums with this one, well that and a certain amount of nostalgia. You see for anyone of a certain age who grew up with 70's kids shows this slice of madness will be instantly recognisable as the theme tune to Screen Test, (you can tell by the title really can't you). You remember don't you? Maybe presenter Michael Rodd's face spinning round in the center of the record will jog your memory. There were always plenty of Children's Film Foundation clips and stacks of super 8 shorts sent in by viewers. I used to love it.

But I'm not here to natter about TV am I? I first heard this one sided 7" at a friends house back when it was first released. It had me rushing over to the deck to find out just who had the audacity to put it out, turns out it was Trunk (who I already knew of thanks to them sticking out The Wicker Man soundtrack a while before). The bad news was that it was limited to just 500 copies and they had sold out long ago.

It took a while for me to track down a copy (#253 if you want to know), and ever since then I've collected everything that Trunk have put out. They're a great little label and well worth checking out if you haven't done so already.

Anyway onto the music, which starts out pleasant enough, but soon shifts up a gear thanks to the absolutely bonkers drum fills, and ends up heading for a total meltdown before regaining it's composure and just about holding it together until the end. The military drumming is accompanied by what is possibly the most plodding bass line ever committed to vinyl. Still the flute (or whatever it is), piano and xylophone fighting it out over who gets to play the lead melody is a perfect counterpoint to the music rumbling away underneath. The sudden heroic guitar break around the half way point is such a great unexpected touch too. If you listen carefully you can hear the guitarist coming in just a little too soon during the end of the hectic drumming that precedes his solo. You'll be lucky to find a copy of this for normal money, but if you do then you should snap it up sharpish. Nice hand folded sleeve in a plastic bag thing too.

Seven Inches of Joy #1 - Escape Pod

Escape Pod - Losing Control [Dead Digital 2003] - Cat# DD04

I picked up this little slice of greatness thanks to it getting a tip top review by those good types over at Norman Records in Leeds. The sleeve is nice sturdy card (not quite as thick as a 60's DOT LP, but not as flimsy as a 80's Sarah paper wraparound either), it even has an inner bag (nice touch).

The song itself is a wonderful slice of The Beta Band meets The Beach Boys by way of Twisted Nerve. Which is fitting since it was released during the lull between the Beta's Hot Shots II and Heroes to Zeroes. Great harmonies, gurgling electronics, acoustic guitars and the DJ's enemy a sudden pause, make this one of those singles that reveals itself more and more with each listen.

Losing Control builds and builds over it's four minute running time from a basic drum machine pattern with acoustic guitar plucks, to a full on everything but the kitchen sink type affair, before suddenly ending (very suddenly mind you). That it manages this without sounding cluttered is one of the things I adore about it. The vocals are very Steve Mason with what sounds like a bit of added backwards reverb, while the backing vocals alternate between sounding like a budget Mellotron on choir setting, and groggy yodel.

Since the first time I slapped this on the turntable it's been a favourite, yet I've never met another soul who even knows the band let alone anything by them. This was their second single, and they only managed one more before going the way of so many bands before them. I've never been able to find anything out about them either, despite writing to their Manchester based label (twice). Oh in case you're wondering the flip side (Change of Pace) is okay, but not a patch on it's big brother. This can be picked up for pennies on E-Bay too.