With end of year list season already well underway, I’m still trying to sift out the goodies from those crazy enough to release things after they can get into a record shop’s top ten by offering them a bonus CD, t-shirt or postcard to sell. Below is the link to the November edition of my column for Clash and we’ve got a December one coming before Christmas too. As I type, I’m listening to one of the European R.E.M. reissues that arrived just too late to make the latest piece alongside ‘Up’. They’re not bad. While ‘Reveal’ may not have the Kevin Gray mastering of the US edition, it’s a lot quieter.
https://www.clashmusic.com/features/just-played-a-column-about-vinyl-records-46/
It seems a lifetime ago that I spent ninety minutes subjecting the good people of Frome and its surrounding areas to nuggets from my record collection, but the fond memories remain. As ever with such things when it’s not an endeavour you pursue regularly, the amount of time that goes into the preparation is vastly disproportionate to the length of the ‘set’. I did love rummaging through the 7” boxes that live on top of the island Kallax, which got put in when both sides of the music room became full. I genuinely couldn’t add another even if the desire was there. For a variety of reasons, I largely avoid the format these days. They’re too expensive, impractical for listening and, as I mentioned, they live in boxes on top of my island Kallax. However, I will always grin when retrieving Simtec & Wylie’s ‘Maggie May’, The Flirtations’ ‘Nothing But A Heartache’ and that delicious ‘Reggae Rigby’ bootleg.
Furthermore, digging out Kylie’s ‘Can’t Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head’ or finally picking up the promo 12” of George Michael’s ‘Outside’ for the purpose of keeping up the quality throughout also gave me great joy. But one single gave me pause and made me wonder if it was going to play well with the bargain hunting masses: ‘The Promise’ by Girls Aloud. Before we get into this, of course I would have played ‘Biology’ ahead of this were it a vinyl option for me - I’m not an animal - but what can you do? I had discussed in advance with one of the lovely people from Raves From The Grave, the record shop hosting the event, my intention to include a few chart-friendly bangers, but what would happen when the stylus hit that irresistible opening on the entirely resistible format of a 7” picture disc? Well, to be honest, not very much. But there was plenty of jolly nodding in the room and several pairs of bobbing shoulders. Everyone seemed to know it and nobody made any displeasure known.
And mere weeks later, came the rumours of a return from the band after they were spotted filming what turned out to be a promo film for a tour rather than, sadly, any new music. Anyone who has spent a few hours trying to battle Ticketek today may well have to just accept the warm glow of knowing they’re back rather than celebrating their presence*. Last time I mentioned them here, I lost a few subscribers. Pop can be divisive, but if you ever loved their work, I’d urge you to spend some time with it again soon. There’s a bonus track on the streaming services edition of ‘Tangled Up’ called ‘Mixed Up’. It was originally pressed up as a Woolworths only bonus disc that could be purchased with the album and it rams forty minutes of their remixes into one long megamix. I use it quite a lot during exercise and it’s cheesy as hell - and brilliant. Some of the synth stabs that creep in for ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ and ‘Jump’ are pure euphoria for those with the required leanings. They were a truly great pop act, working with exactly the right people. It’s lovely to have them back, if only briefly for a tour.
Hope you enjoy the column. I’ll be in touch soon with some 2023 highlights.
*Just after I scheduled this post, an extra email was sent with Ticketmaster links to salvage the situation. Do check, if you’re still in limbo. No, I never thought I’d be writing something positive about that company.