John Foxx: Underpass 1980

 

In 1979 after Ultravox! were dropped by their record company, singer and electronic music pioneer John Foxx decided to leave the band for a solo career. Unfortunately, Ultravox’s subsequent success with new singer Midge Ure over shadowed John Foxx’s solo work. By 1985 (his last live gig was in 1982) he had reverted to his original name (Dennis Leigh) and his original career (Graphic Design).  In 1992 he was a Graphic Arts & Design lecturer at the Leeds Metropolitan University. He re-entered the music business in 1997 making Dance and the Triphop music. Underpass was his first solo single. Released by Virgin Records in 1980. It reached number 31 in the British singles chart, his highest solo chart position. All instrument were played by Foxx.

Underpass

Film One

Chant R&B: I 'm Your Witchdoctor 1966

 

Chant R&B were formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1964. That same year they won a Battle Of The Bands contest at Addington Showgrounds. Their prize was time in a recording studio. They rarely played outside of Christchurch.  Only releasing two singles before moving to Australia and disbanding in 1967. I 'm Your Witchdoctor was their second single, like their first (I've Been Loving You Too Long) it was a cover.  It was written by John Mayal. At the time Witchdoctor was recorded the band included Australian Max Croke, who it turned out was really named Max Kelly and was a deserter from the Australian Air Force.

 

Produced by James Tomlin

Trevor Courtney                Drums
Michael Rudd         Guitar/Vocals
Martin Forrer                        Bass
Max Kelly                           Guitar

I 'm Your Witchdoctor

Neighbour Neighbour

The Carter Family: Three Songs 1928

 

The Carter Family are Country music royalty. Their influence on Twentieth Century music is well documented. A little less so is influence of Maybelle Carter’s guitar style. She was one of the first to play a bass line with her thumb on the bottom two strings while still keeping the chords playing the rhythm. Her rhythmic style and feel was so widely copied that today it’s considered the ‘Country Feel’. These recording are of the original Carter Family, before June Carter was old enough to join. All three songs were recorded on May 27 1928 in Camden, New Jersey, for the Victor Talking Machine Company.

Produced by Ralph Peer

Sara Carter            Vocals/Autoharp
Maybelle Carter         Vocals/Guitar
A.P. Carter                 Vocals/Guitar

I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow
Can The Circle be Unbroken (Bye And Bye)
John Hardy Was A Desperate Little Man

Guided By Voices: Motor Away 1995

 

Guided By Voices was originally formed in 1983 as a bar band in Dayton, Ohio. It was seen as a part-time thing, with all its members having day jobs. Over the next few years there was an ever-changing line up except for songwriter Robert Pollard who was the band’s only constant member. By the early 1990’s the band had evolved into more of a recording project. They self-released a string of lo-fi albums. Only a few hundred copies of each were pressed. In 1994 they signed a deal with Matador Records and became a gigging band again. At the time the line up included Pollard, guitarists Tobin Sprout and Mitch Mitchell, bassist Dan Toohey, and drummer Kevin Fennell. Now seen as the “classic line up”. Released in 1995, Motor Away was their first single for Matador, their eighth over all. It was written by Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout. It is different from the version that appeared on the album Alien Lanes. The Color Of My Blade was the B-Side.

 

 Robert Pollard              Vocals
Tobin Sprout                  Guitar
Mitch Mitchell                Guitar
Dan Toohey                    Bass
Kevin Fennell               Drums

Motor Away

Color Of My Blade

Montrose: Space Station #5 1973

In 1973, respected session musician Ronnie Montrose formed his own band, Montrose. He  had played on albums by Herbie Hancock (Mwandishil) and Van Morrison (Tupelo Honey & St. Dominique's Preview). The original Montrose line up included Sammy Hagar. But the reason I am posting this is more personal. When I was 17 one of my favorite bands was the Irish Punk band Stiff Little Fingers. Over the years I came to realise that some of their best ideas were not their own and that they were not the most original of bands. But I always thought their debut single Suspect Devise was a great song. One day someone told me to listen to Montrose’s Space Station #5. I finally tracked it down and put it on. After 50 seconds of spacey hippy noises on came the Suspect Devise riff. I was, as we say in my country, gutted. This is the song Stiff Little Fingers stole the riff for Suspect Devise from. The B-Side is a cover of the Roy Brown / Elvis song Good Rockin' Tonight.

Produced by Ted Templeman

Sam Hager               Vocals
Ronnie Montrose      Guitar
Bill Church                  Bass
Danny Carmassi       Drums

Space Station #5

Good Rockin' Tonight

As a bonus here's Stiff Little Fingers' Suspect Device. This is the Rigid Digits  Records single version. Which is different to the one on the album Inflammable Material.

Suspect Devise

The Creation: How Does It Feel To Feel 1968

In 1966, Cheshunt based Pop Art band The Mark Four changed their name to The Creation. Guitarist Eddie Phillips is credited as the first person to play his electric guitar using a violin bow. Jimmy Page, who later popularised the technique in Led Zeppelin, always cited Phillips as the inventor. By 1968 they started to introduce more psychedelic elements into their sound.  How Does It Feel To Feel was The Creation's sixth single. Released in Europe on Ploydor Records and in the US (with a different mix) on Decca Records. In the UK the B-Side was Tom Tom (released as an A-Side in German) but in the US it was Life Is Just Beginning.

Produced By Shel Talmy

Bob Garner               Vocals
Eddie Phillips             Guitar
Jack Jones               Drums
Kim Gardner                Bass

How Does It Feel To Feel
Tom Tom

Young Marble Giants: Final Day 1981

Young Marble Giants were formed in Cardiff, Wales in 1978. Adopting a less is more approach to their music. They simplified the songs and turned down the volume. Not wanting to use a loud ‘live’ drummer, they used tape recordings of a home made drum machine or no drums at all. This is their first single, released on Rough Trade Records a few months after their debut album, Colossal Youth. Final Days and the B-Sides Radio Silente and Cakewalking were all written by guitarist Stuart Moxham. They released one more EP, Test Patten without singer Alison Statton before splitting up.

Alison Statton              Vocals

Philip Moxham                Bass

Stuart Moxham   Guitar, Organ

Final Day 7"