#eric janssen

[bandcampsnoop]

3/7/26.

Don't waste your time doing a "Felt" search on this blog. Apparently I use the word "felt" quite a bit in these posts. Sometimes it's in reference to the band led in the 1980s by Lawrence, but most of the time, I'm using the emotional "felt".

Eric Janssen (The Lookyloos - among other bands) always proclaimed the greatness of the band, so I kept trying to like them. About 15 years ago it finally stuck. As I was ping-ponging around Bandcamp recently, I noticed that much of their catalogue is finally up.

So, I'll post the album that I inexplicably do not own, the jangly and beautiful "Forever Breathes the Lonely Word". In the 1980s, Lawrence (Hayward) set out to make 10 albums and 10 singles, which he did. These were released on Cherry Red and Creation. While this album is the first without Maurice Deebank, it also is Martin Duffy's true "coming-out-party" on the Hammond organ.

I can't help but hear Lloyd Cole, Orange Juice and more modern bands like Pale Lights or even The Tyde when I listen to Felt (England). Now, excuse me while I rectify a wrong and purchase "Forever Breathes the Lonely Word".

[bandcampsnoop]

12/13/24.

When I think of The Jazz Butcher (Oxford, England), I immediately think of Eric Janssen. As I was listening to various Jazz Butcher releases on Bandcamp, I noticed one of the user reviews was written by none other than Eric Janssen (the review for "Last Of The Gentleman Adventurers"). Read it; outstanding.

"A Scandal In Bohemia" was Pat Fish's 2nd full length as The Jazz Butcher and it's a brilliant statement of pop/sophisti-pop. The first band that comes to mind is The Woodentops. But I think most would say Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Edwyn Collins and maybe Jonathan Richman come to mind when they listen to this. Ex-Bauhaus bassist David J plays bass on "A Scandal In Bohemia".

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderful Momus. Fire Records reissued a lot of The Jazz Butcher discography in recent years.