Indietracks Festival / all things C86 and indiepop!

[Flex Your Head]

I haven't been on here for a while. How is everyone? If you can get back to me before 2022, I'd appreciate it....

Well, other than the obvious - Covid, Johnson, Trump and so on - all is well. And you?

Been listening to The Bats an awful lot at the mo. 38 years with the same line-up and still an absolute joy.

 

[tinycowboy]

Well, other than the obvious - Covid, Johnson, Trump and so on - all is well. And you?

Been listening to The Bats an awful lot at the mo. 38 years with the same line-up and still an absolute joy.

Hi Murray, I’m fine thanks. I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to The Bats. I will have to give them a listen. TBH, during lockdown I’ve been mainly listening to jazz (nice) and dub, plus quite a lot of Laura Veirs (is that folk indie or easy listening?). However, I bought Four Calendar Cafe by The Cocteau Twins the other day which, for some reason, I’d never bought. And, guess what? It’s lovely. More fool me. I can think of a few bands where I’ve loved them and inexplicably forgot to buy one of their albums.

 

[Staly]

M'ok thanks

 

[Flex Your Head]

/

Hi Murray, I’m fine thanks. I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to The Bats. I will have to give them a listen. TBH, during lockdown I’ve been mainly listening to jazz (nice) and dub, plus quite a lot of Laura Veirs (is that folk indie or easy listening?). However, I bought Four Calendar Cafe by The Cocteau Twins the other day which, for some reason, I’d never bought. And, guess what? It’s lovely. More fool me. I can think of a few bands where I’ve loved them and inexplicably forgot to buy one of their albums.

Love it when that happens. I'm also guilty of buying CDs at gigs, and then failing to play them for years, finally giving them a spin and realising how ace they are and exactly why I originally bought them.

And embarrassingly, I sometimes write-off bands far too soon, or have some barely coherent reason for remaining unimpressed. I saw Allo Darlin' sooo many times on various bills over the years. Initially just Elizabeth and a ukelele, and then as a trio, and then as a full band where they started to remind me of The Bangles or Katrina & The Waves and my interest waned. But I listened to the debut from 2010 recently, and it is soooo good. Wish I'd paid more attention at the time now.

But this daft attitude goes right back. I remember hearing a session on Peel by The Scars from 1979/1980, and then their LP 'Author Author'. Too 'post-punk' for me, I decided (even though I bloody love post-punk!) and I wrote them off. Didn't even bother going to see them when my mate had a spare ticket. And then I heard this a few years back, investigated further, and bloody love them now!



That instrumental chorus and bassline still gives me prickles!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I haven't been on here for a while. How is everyone? If you can get back to me before 2022, I'd appreciate it....

Pretty shit to be honest!

 

[tinycowboy]

M'ok thanks

Hi Staly, have you moved or were you always in Manchester? I bought a new Hood 7” the other day, felt a bit like the late 1990s. I went to Shrewsbury again a year or two again - can’t stay away from the place. Did a self-guided tour of alleyways. The kids still complain about it even now.

 

[tinycowboy]

Pretty shit to be honest!

Sorry to hear that. You’re right, hasn’t been great. At least we won today. Genuinely can’t remember the last match I went to. Still owe you that Sea Urchins CD....

 

[Flex Your Head]

Hi Murray, I’m fine thanks. I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to The Bats. I will have to give them a listen. TBH, during lockdown I’ve been mainly listening to jazz (nice) and dub, plus quite a lot of Laura Veirs (is that folk indie or easy listening?).

What have you been listening to dub-wise; new stuff or the 'old-schoo'l? I've been listening to a load of Scientist, Augustus Pablo, King Tubby, Mikey Dread and Sly and Robbie (the Riddim double CD comp is ace) ever since lockdown because it's a great backdrop when working from home. I can't concentrate when there's too many lyrics! It all goes back to listening to John Peel I suppose, so isn't very contemporary. Is there any newer stuff that you can recommend?

This has been my fave for decades now. Starts wonderfully, and then at around 3.10mins gets even better when it goes full-on dub.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOMjTjyZZMc

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Sorry to hear that. You’re right, hasn’t been great. At least we won today. Genuinely can’t remember the last match I went to. Still owe you that Sea Urchins CD....

 

[Flex Your Head]

This is really lovely, in fact the whole LP is, but who exactly does it sound like? Can't quite put my finger on it, but Felt maybe?

https://theredspinksandpurples.bandcamp.com/track/forgotten-names

 

[tinycowboy]

What have you been listening to dub-wise; new stuff or the 'old-schoo'l? I've been listening to a load of Scientist, Augustus Pablo, King Tubby, Mikey Dread and Sly and Robbie (the Riddim double CD comp is ace) ever since lockdown because it's a great backdrop when working from home. I can't concentrate when there's too many lyrics! It all goes back to listening to John Peel I suppose, so isn't very contemporary. Is there any newer stuff that you can recommend?

This has been my fave for decades now. Starts wonderfully, and then at around 3.10mins gets even better when it goes full-on dub.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOMjTjyZZMc

Yes, the kind of stuff you've listed, plus Prince Jammy, Morwell Unlimited, Prince Far I. My absolute favourite over the past 6 months or so has been "Negrea Love Dub" by Linval Thompson - great for writing reports to with some nice sound effects. My son got a melodica for Xmas, so I'm hoping he'll get into Augustus Pablo. Lockdown hasn't been a good time to get into brand new stuff for me - I've been going for comfort listening and stuff that's easy background for working to - I'm with you on going for non-lyrical stuff! However, around 16:00, anything goes...

 

[joydivisionovengloves]

What have you been listening to dub-wise; new stuff or the 'old-schoo'l? I've been listening to a load of Scientist, Augustus Pablo, King Tubby, Mikey Dread and Sly and Robbie (the Riddim double CD comp is ace) ever since lockdown because it's a great backdrop when working from home. I can't concentrate when there's too many lyrics! It all goes back to listening to John Peel I suppose, so isn't very contemporary. Is there any newer stuff that you can recommend?

This has been my fave for decades now. Starts wonderfully, and then at around 3.10mins gets even better when it goes full-on dub.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOMjTjyZZMc

I just bought that again after losing my original copy years ago. I used to listen to MD's Capital Radio show on Saturday nights back in the 80's.
We lived out in Boney at the time and you could just get the signal from London. Loved it.

 

[tinycowboy]

This is really lovely, in fact the whole LP is, but who exactly does it sound like? Can't quite put my finger on it, but Felt maybe?

https://theredspinksandpurples.bandcamp.com/track/forgotten-names

I got Levy, Radio Dept, with hints of Brighter and The Orchids.

 

[KeithDublin]

Might not fit exactly here but RIP Mark Keds

https://youtu.be/cKdj2Np8awA

 

[Flex Your Head]

Might not fit exactly here but RIP Mark Keds
I was sad to read about Mark's death - saw them a few times over the years and they were always great. Seems it wasn't unexpected, which makes it all the sadder really.

 

[Flex Your Head]

Been having a bit of a splurge recently. Not necessarily new stuff, but new to me.
Really like Twerps from Oz right now, but they split up in 2017.

Lovely nippy little thing with a familiar sounding keyboard riff that I just can't place. (Can keyboards riff?!?)


Earlier song, and Ilove the way it builds.



Ace live radio session, and the first song sounds sooo much like The Feelies, which is just fine by me. I have a crush on the radio host and her perfect teeth *swoon*

 

[Flex Your Head]

I absolutely love this by The Scrotum Poles. Once you get past the 'novelty' name, it sounds like early Bats or The Clean or many of the other first Flying Nun releases, but rather than coming from Dunedin, New Zealand, this mob came from Dundee and released this in 1980, a year or so beforethe first Flying Nun release. Dunno if it's just a coincidence or what, but it has 'that' sound down to a tee. And I love it, did I mention that?



Anyway, turns out that the always overlooked but relentlessly great Boyracer liked it enough to cover it.



And then to circle the square, or whatever the expression is, Smokescreens released a cover of it too at the end of last year... on their LP which was produced by... David Kilgour of The Clean who said that he'd never heard the Scrotum Poles before. Surely not!



How amazing to release 1,000 copies of a single in 1980 and to find bands around the world still covering one of the 5 songs on it 40 years later! It really is a belter.

Anyway, Smokescreens and Twerps LPs are both ace and highly recommended.

 

[Flex Your Head]

Yes, the kind of stuff you've listed, plus Prince Jammy, Morwell Unlimited, Prince Far I. My absolute favourite over the past 6 months or so has been "Negrea Love Dub" by Linval Thompson - great for writing reports to with some nice sound effects. My son got a melodica for Xmas, so I'm hoping he'll get into Augustus Pablo. Lockdown hasn't been a good time to get into brand new stuff for me - I've been going for comfort listening and stuff that's easy background for working to - I'm with you on going for non-lyrical stuff! However, around 16:00, anything goes...

I've just downloaded 'Negrea Love Dub' and will give it a spin tomorrow and report back.

How's your son getting on with the melodica? This classic should provide some inspiration, especially if you can play bass

 

[Flex Your Head]

Suddenly remembered that I'd posted something on here the other night after a few drinks. Bloody hell - I go on a bit!

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Some more precocious teenagers for you. There's a hint of Belle & Sebastian here, lyrically and sonically.