Indie -Alternative Nostalgia -A Collection.

A collection of 7" singles from the Indiependent Charts or Mainstream labels . From 1976-2011.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.38. The Associates-Those First Impressions(1984).

So in the title of the site its indie and alternative. The earlier works of associates sort of brushed with indie and major labels. But tracks that should of been so successful sort of became hidden classics. So in a way he sort of existed on the scene but was assisted with bands like Yello and also with Martyn Ware of Heaven 17. Who enabled Billy to record on BEF projects for a number of years. He co -produced this track. It strange as this track was one of the first tracks I ever got into muscially ( I must have been 11/12). It was the Bass line, not sure if bass playing was Phil Thornally who was previously in the Cure and was moving into enginerring work and production. Its just a great track, the vocals show power and restraint in equal measures.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.37 Dif Juz-No Motion (1987)

What a great album this was featuring all the roster from 4AD at that time. This was a common thing that Beggars Banquet did as well, I think they shared the same distribution. With Dif Juz they were a band that was part of the 4ad sound but seemed happy to let the music do the talking. There was some thing kind of freeform and improvised in their sound, in terms of tracks I think 'No Motion showed what the band could do. It almost like the lead guitar is the kind of melody but it goes to places it does not come back to in the overall mix. The drum sound and bass sort of goes around, its quite a etheral track like the Cocteaus were doing.I think there was links there as well as Dif Juz sort of helped out with studio time and other things. So in the 4AD landscape Dif Juz were important. other bands shined more brightly., but they played their part.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.36 Heavenly Bodies-Rains on me(12')(1989)

There are many singles and albums that I cannot really work out how I heard them and then when friendfs brought records at the time, I often wondered how they got hold of them as well. This was a single that just appeared from nowhere, I think I had read that Robin Guthrie was involved in production at the time. When I heard the album that this was from there were tracks that stood out, its more better than the single. The Single was like a band that was on 4ad discovering dance. In fact in the story the singer was involved with this mortal coil and approached Ivo but the album was considered not 4ad at that time. The band was made up of ex members of Dead Can Dance. They were shortlived band really, but they left behind a very small discography. There were bands that were part of a scene, the problem for heavenly bodies as they fell between the two scenes.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.36 Heavenly Bodies-Rains on me(12')(1989)

There are many singles and albums that I cannot really work out how I heard them and then when friendfs brought records at the time, I often wondered how they got hold of them as well. This was a single that just appeared from nowhere, I think I had read that Robin Guthrie was involved in production at the time. When I heard the album that this was from there were tracks that stood out, its more better than the single. The Single was like a band that was on 4ad discovering dance. In fact in the story the singer was involved with this mortal coil and approached Ivo but the album was considered not 4ad at that time. The band was made up of ex members of Dead Can Dance. They were shortlived band really, but they left behind a very small discography. There were bands that were part of a scene, the problem for heavenly bodies as they fell between the two scenes.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.35 The Cult-Ressurection joe(1984)

Now this is quite a personal fave record of mine which I only really discovered in about 87, more by chance than anything. What I found with people that were around me at the same time that were into alternative music, it was hip to say you were into the cult, but I always wondered where they really? Of course I was. So as I was getting into alternative rock and indie around this time, this was before they released the 'Love removal machine'. The album they released in 1984 called 'Dreamtime' is a record of its time, what gives it added power for me is the drums and the guitar work of Duffy, before the heavy rock excesses came to the fore. But going back to this single it was more a bass driven track, which was played live on the Old grey whistle test and Tube. But with the track being centered around the bass, the best version was always the 12" version. The cult sort of had a following from southern death cult, death cult and this I feel pre-seeded the missions followings. In some ways you cant blame the cult for following their interests. But they are a band that I can listen to in a context of time, ignoring their later output. But remembering how powerful they were as a band back then, but never has a band changed direction which was disapointing as purely indie/rock fan. But metal fans rejoiced as they joined their ranks and success followed. So they were proved right, I suppose/

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.35 The Cult-Ressurection joe(1984)

Now this is quite a personal fave record of mine which I only really discovered in about 87, more by chance than anything. What I found with people that were around me at the same time that were into alternative music, it was hip to say you were into the cult, but I always wondered where they really? Of course I was. So as I was getting into alternative rock and indie around this time, this was before they released the 'Love removal machine'. The album they released in 1984 called 'Dreamtime' is a record of its time, what gives it added power for me is the drums and the guitar work of Duffy, before the heavy rock excesses came to the fore. But going back to this single it was more a bass driven track, which was played live on the Old grey whistle test and Tube. But with the track being centered around the bass, the best version was always the 12" version. The cult sort of had a following from southern death cult, death cult and this I feel pre-seeded the missions followings. In some ways you cant blame the cult for following their interests. But they are a band that I can listen to in a context of time, ignoring their later output. But remembering how powerful they were as a band back then, but never has a band changed direction which was disapointing as purely indie/rock fan. But metal fans rejoiced as they joined their ranks and success followed. So they were proved right, I suppose/

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.34 The Cocteau Twins-Loves Easy Tears(1986)

This single was so well recieved. As the band had sort of branched out with Simon Raymonde involved in the This Mortal Coil album and the Cocteau’s releasing the album ‘Victorialand’ which was very stripped back in sound. In fact looking back it was inspired decision, such was their following at the time fans were relieved. At the same time as this single the band announced live dates around the UK. The single itself was great , in fact all the four tracks were stunning. But in hindsight the track ‘Those eyes, that Mouth’ remains a classic. Maybe one of their best B side tracks. This was also released in the box set of singles and has been remastered, there is also a stunning live version from Portsmouth in 1986 circulating on youtube. All though I still listen to the work of Robin Guthrie a lot. The Cocteaus are a band of a time, they were stunning.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.33. Big Flame-Two Kant Guru(1986)

The music of Big Flame stood out a bit from the rest of the C86 bands. It was more rooted in agit pop, with some influence from bands like Gang of Four. Who’s earlier works were being re-evaluated in the c86. Back then the music press looking back was trying to identify a group of bands a scene. There was a lot of nostalgia for the punk era that had run 10 years earlier. I think in terms of their music if you wanted some twee sounding bands then there was some of them on the c86 compilation. But then there were other bands that were more powerful a bit more angry.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.32 Dead Can Dance-Garden of Arcane Delights(1984)

Now I try to keep the main musical interests away from this list, but DCD are a current band whos output still manages to amaze and astound. This 12″ I brought at the time after hearing their track on the ‘Lonely is an Eyesore’, it was a good single but the ‘in power we trust the love advocated’ showed what was to come. I think the music ideas were there at this point, but not so much the production. That track is still performed live and is now better than the original. They did not release many 12″ singles and became more an albums band.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.31 The Wolfhounds-Anti Midas Touch(1986)

Its strange but one bands lyric can get stuck in your head. The Wolfhounds were formed in 1985 and were part of the C86 band revolution thing that was drawn up by the NME to support the bands that they were getting behind at that point. This was quite a good song and I always refer to that phrase, people look at me puzzled. That anything you can turn your hand to, turns to crap or has the opposite effect. The Wolfhounds actually stated together for about 4 years after the c86 even though the scene had moved on. They seemed to be given more inches in the press through fanzines than the main music weeklies.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.30. The Very Things-The Bushes Scream while your daddy prunes(1985)

This classic was shown at the end of the Tube in about late 1985. The singer seemed to have one of those faces that just sort of fit with the bands , kind of kookiness. Their songs were mad and they really did not take themselves to seriously at a time when there was a lot of bands that did. I think they released other singles and albums. But this track is the one they are known for. They did release a track called ‘This is Motortown’ which was another well known single of their’s. They did split in 1988 and went onto form a band called DCL locomotive who I think recorded a peel session also.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.29 Wire-Eardrum Buzz.(1988)

This was between two singles this one and the ‘Kidney Bongoes’. The latter for its clear guitar work. Its starnge really as I was into the This Mortal Coil music about a year before this but there was some Coin Newman involvement in that through song or production, I cant remember which anyway. This video is good as it shows the Indie scene or alternative featured in the video. Its strange looking back as Wire had probably outlasted most punk bands and had been playing for about 12 years by this time. But there were periods of inactivity. They were a bit like a kind of indie talking heads. But they released albums in the late 70s that were blisteringly short in time. Then they went onto the solo albums. They sort of reformed around 85/6 and Peel picked upon their works and they signed if I recall correctly to Mute records.

 They are still performing and releasing albums now. In the 86-88 they were being name dropped a lot and covered by Big Black(Heartbeat). But they were a band that was growing older gracefully, they seemed so much older but what was 10 years back then it seemed like an eternity, now its nothing..

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.28 Lowlife-Ramified(1987)

This is another one that does not fit in the normal single output. I think this was more an album track which was contributed to a Alternative magazine called ‘Underground’ in about mid 1987. That was a great compilation as it had tracks by Cabaret Voltaire and Clock DVA. At the time I was drawn into their sound as loved the Will Heggie era of the cocteau twins. After he left the band he returned to Grangemouth in Scotland and formed Lowlife. They were a good band, due to the sound and effect there were going to be obvious comprisons to the Cocteau Twins sound. I seem to recall at the time there was some bad negative press, which really should not of mattered. The singer if I recall was HIV positive, but at the time there was so much stigma and mis-information about what that meant. But Lowlife recorded some great tracks. This one though is underpinned by Heggie’s Bass playing. Its a great track.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.27 Julian Cope-Eve’s Volcano(1986)

This is a strange one and I never been able to shake the memory of it. At the time he was being interviewed by Radio Derby and he described the song about being about the female orgasm. So even though it was getting regular airplay most of the people that were playing it probably never even thought about the meaning behind it. They probably assumed it was to do with Cope’s strange choices of singles. To be honest  his music back then was quite refreshing ,before there was the Teardrop Explodes tracks and solo works(Fried). This one though I always liked, as well as ‘Trampolene’. A Great artists not just in musical circles now of course , as he has published his books on his influences and stones.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.26.Martin Stephenson & Daintees-Crocodile Cryer.

In the mid 80s , Kitchenware records was mostly concerned with Prefab Sprout. But Martin Stephenson had been around quite a time, with gigging. This track was a favrioute on almost all those live shows that would be on Saturday afternoon. They would play sessions on most shows, I think they may have even done an Andy Kerhshaw and John Peel and Janice Long. This was their best known track. 

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.25 New Model Army-Small Town England(1983)

Now this was another that was not a single, but its probably what the album ‘Vengence’ was pushed along by. Its a great track. They were a bit more better produced about 2 years later, they sort of had some gothic imagery alongside their image, but they were grouped in as being more punk revalists. But they did release some great singles. This track reminds me of the hometown I used to live in as a teenager, but the song is universal and it can be related to most areas I suppose. They did used to have the lead singer girlfriend Joolz recite poetry that was slightly cutting edge, they did used to appear on a lot of radio shows around the time. Also the band I think had a group of fans that stayed with them through thick and thin, a bit like the Levellers did a few years later.

[indiealternativenostalgia]

No.24 Railway Childen-Brighter(1987)

The Railway Children , if I remember correctly they may have been around a while in the scene. I think they may have played the Gmex Festival in 86, but I could be wrong there. The Mind play tricks you see, anyway The Railway Children seemed to be grouped into the scene of the mid to late 80s. I think the band really knew how to write some great tunes. Looking back at their music it probably seems a better fit to the time period of 1983-85 the era of Postcard. I think they did sign to a major label. But the song still sounds good now, they have played together recently.