MUSIC LIST
0 CONFOUNDING those who said they were all washed-up, Hipsway are going oil to tourthe United States, where their single The Honey Thief has rocketed to an amazing Number 19 in the charts. After the loss ol their bassist and manager, they’ve come back lighting, with new bassist Gary Houston, and play three warm-up dates before departing to the US. With Kick Reaction (who have been pretty quiet lately, worse luck), lilpsway will be playing Dundee University on 13 April, Perth City Hall (14 April) and Ayr Pavilion (15 April).
0 EDINBURGH-BASED BAND Heart industry have signed a recording deal with a new independent label called DCR Records, which Is run by students on a music management course at West Lothlan College of Further Education in Bathgate. Twenty students are taking a Higher National Certificate in music management, a course which involves signing musicians, bringing out records by them and getting involved in every stage oi promotion and publicity. Hearty industry have the honour oi being the first band on the label's roster, and a single, entitled Dreaming, is expected in the next few months.
0 THE OPEN-AIR SESSIONS by bands periorrnlng at the Ross Bandstand ln Princes Street Gardens have been considered so successful that Edinburgh District Council Is extending invitations to local bands to Rock at the Ross again this year. Bands hoping to be selected to play on Sat 6 June (and who have at least one member residing in the Edinburgh district) should pick up an entry lorrn from Arts Outreach/Spring Fling Rock at the Assembly Rooms, George Street, any queries being directed to the Arts Outreach team on 225 2424 ext 6665/6623/6625. All demo tapes, which must be accompanied by entry lorrns, must be in by 21 April. _
THE FIRST COMING! Remembering oi course that this is a year designated to recognising the awful pllghtol people who are homeless, with many pop bands already doing their hit tor the
Deacon Blue (see Singles review)
LISTEN!
One of Glasgow's best,
Shelter charity, it’s been great news to hear of a major concert being planned by a Glasgow housing charity. No doubt they won't be using the same podium as the Pontilf, but already scheduled to play a mega-gig in Bellahouston Park this August are Simple Minds. Other names being bandied are Annie Lennox, Robbie Coltrane and Billy Connolly, all underthe banner at ‘ScotAld’ . . . More news, asthey say, when we get it . . .
POP STARS WITH SORE THROATS seem to get younger every year with the latest recipients oi Get Well Soon messages being poor wee Sean, lead singer of the Soup Dragons, currently suffering trom nodules In the throat— an extremely nasty business- and Marti Pellow the vocalist In Wet Wet Wetalso going into hospital tor a nose operation to correct an old injury that is bringing on chronictonsllitls . . .
LOOK OUT FOR THE NEW SINGLE from the excellent Love And Money entitled, obviously enough ‘Love And Money'. This latest show tor super stardom is an interesting piece oi vinyl, but not as intriguing as how James Grant gets that little curly bll atthe front of his quill to sit just right. . . Could it be hairspray alone? Or is it kirby-grlps? Other suggestions on a postcard or stuck down envelope please . . .
TALKING ABOUT SUPER STARS, surely the deilnitlon of a truly lamous person must be one who is driven into the actual interior of his dressing room in a black limousine as I witnessed Lionel Richie doing last week . . . You can bet your bottom dollar that that sort oi pose wouldn’t suit The Boss, but apparently, as wild American rumour has it, Springsteen’s aiter a biggertrip than that. . . Governor of New Jersey no less . . . everybody’s got a hungry heart huh?
FINALLY A FOND FAREWELL to Radio Clyde music controller Richard Park set for a move onwards and upwards to London’s Capital Radio station in late May. . . Doctor Dick will be sorely
missed tor his encyclopaedic knowledge of pop and excellent taste in music as well as his unerrlng support ol good new local talent . . . A personality we won’t be lalllng over in Glasgow bars any more is Craig Ferguson, aka Bing Hitler, the only Scottish comedian to survive Saturday Live (or the only Scottish comedian to be asked onto Saturday Live?). Craig tells us, modestly, that he has moved to London to do some plays, TV and films. . . not much really. . . (Andrea Miller)
ALBUMS
0 Win: . . . Uh! Tears Baby (A Trash icon) (London). Win have a great formula, a strong one, which theoretically allows for near-infinite variation, and all the elements are present on the opening track (and current single) Super Popold Groove: an absurdly lnlectious chant on top oi an irresistible dance beat, wrapped in warm, creamy synths by state-ol-the- art production. The last word in sleek modernity, and iullilling the old aesthetics at a commodity to be used. However, the lyrical concerns show that. . . Uh! Tears Baby is designed to stick in the craw of those who expect it to dissolve in the mouth with only the sweetest of aftertastes. Win may try to keep their tongues in their cheeks as much as they can, but they are worried men, and side two, with bleak titles like Charms Of Powerlul Trouble and (deep breath) it May Be A Beautllul Sky Tonight But it’s Only A Shelter ForA World At Risk, shows it best. To tell the truth, though, attimes the attention wanders, particularly during the closing numbers of each side. Hollywood Baby Too Is, Intentionally or unlntenionaily, a dreadlul Beatles pastiche and on Baby Cutting, Win take a Magical Mystery Tour on Mogadon. Nevertheless, side two contains You’ve Got The Power, the ‘sugar-coated bullet’ that bestsums up Win’s tormula. And it still sounds classic. 0 Various Artists: Seeds l: Pop/T he Marine Girls: Beach Party/Eyeless in Gaza: Kodak Ghosts Run Amok (Cherry Red). Seeds is a great idea, so obviously inspired by the Nuggets and Pebbles albums, and ‘intended to highlight great lost records lrom the period 1977-1984', a parlour game that most of us have played at one time or another. It kicks oil well with The June Brides’ deserving Every Conversation, and it‘s good to have The
Pastels‘ debut at last, if only for curiosity. The TV Personalities and
Girls At Our Best! contribute two ot the tew tracks that deserve to be called ‘iorgotten classics', but the thought quickly arises Ural most of the material is better all lost. Still, l await Seeds ll: Art with anticipation.
lithe impact of the Seeds volumes turns out to be negligible, there's no calculating the influence that The Marine Girls have had on the countless legions at today's ‘anorak bands’. Beach Party is their first album, recorded in 1981 in a garden shed, and available on vinyl lorthe first time. The Marine Girls were the llrst band ot Tracey Thorn, now of Everything But The Girl, and she wrote most of the songs here, singing them in a remarkably young untutored voice. With Its minimal, mainly acoustic, arrangements highlighting the simplicity and naively of the songs, this record is the genuine article, for those who care about such things.
Labelmates, and companions on the legendary Pillows And Prayers LP, Eyeless ln Gaza, offer a retrospective Best of their archetypally indie, olten obscure, but always tunelul, ditties
_ lrom 1980-86. One can only speculate
when listening to this record where . they'd be now had they been altorded the same opportunities as the similar but more upwardly-mobile Tears For. Fears. (Mab)
SINGLES
- Alien Sex Fiend: Hurrican Fighter Plane (Plague). Bastardsl it's been one oi my longest-held ambitions to do a band version at the Joe 90 theme, and ASF have so neatly incorporated it into this 12in that i may as well forget it. Despite the slagglng we’ve been giving them it has to be said that they make quite a good job of other people’s songs, or at least snatches at them. Hurricane is an old Red Crayola number, re-done here as heavy swamp disco, overlaid with restless guitar. Ouite nitty, but it’s not all good - pointless remixes abound. Still, kicks more ass than Sputnik have lor many a month. Those interested can see them in Glasgow, Friday 3 April.
0 Deacon Blue: Dignity (CBS). Judging lrom the show i caught at The Venue, Deacon Blue look like they could be the best of the new pop groups multiplying at a lrlghtenlng rate in Glasgow. They’ve got a fine songwriter and lrontman in Ricky Ross (worth a dozen James Grants, I’ll hazard), and major label support, so it great things don't materialize a lot of hats are going to get chewed. A conventional, craftsmanllke song couched in smooth playing, a bit over-sentimental (quite a lot, actually) but Ross sings like he means it. Hopefully, a hit.
0 The Go-Between: Right Here (Beggars Banquet). This, however, is the single this week that proves there are still people around who deserve to be called songwriters, and bodes well lortheir live appearances here later in the month. The chirpy violin from new member Amanda Brown lurther enlivens The Go-Betweens at their puppiest and most accessible. They sound so cheerful. What’s gone right? The llipside, When People Are Dead, is tinged with more lamiliar Go-Between moods, makes Leonard Cohen sound like Captain Sensible, but is still pretty remarkable. Buy it. (Mab)
40 The List 3 — 16 April