Top Of The Box » 1980’s

Fight For Your Right (to Party) Revisited

Terry Lane — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:10:23 +0000

25 years on, ‘You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party!‘ remains the most memorable parody of goofball hard rock jock anthems around.

Now Beastie Boys‘ Adam Yauch has written and directed a 30-minute comedy short film ‘Fight For Your Right Revisited’ to celebrate one of the Beastie Boys’ most renowned songs.

This sequel to the events of the original video sees the likes of Seth Rogan, Elijah Wood, Will Ferrell and Jack Black play past and future versions of the band members and includes a bizarre dance off between the old and younger Beastie Boys.

Split second cameos from a wide array of actors from Susan Sarandon, Steve Buscemi, Kirsten Dunst, Mary Steenburgen, Chloe Sevigny and the band themselves makes this glorious blast of silliness a snapshot of generations of pop culture.

‘Fight For Your Right Revisited’ will be given a UK screening in the Film & Music Arena at this year’s Latitude Festival.

Latitude Festival Tickets

Weekend tickets £170.00 including VAT, subject to booking fee
Day tickets Fri, Sat, Sun £70.00 including VAT, subject to booking fee
Child ticket (5-12 years) £5.00 including VAT, subject to booking fee
Campervan Permit £30.00
Weekend tickets prices include car parking and camping
Day tickets include car parking only

For more information, including the full line-up visit www.latitudefestival.co.uk.

Bill Nelson, Do You Dream In Colour?

Terry Lane — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:13:58 +0000

Bill Nelson is probably best known as a highly praised guitarist who started his career with 1970’s art rock group Be-Bop Deluxe. But at the height of their fame Nelson decided to disband Be-Bop Deluxe and change musical direction by forming Red Noise which erred more towards an electronic-etched rock music with singles such as Revolt into Style and Furniture Music.

In the early 1980’s Bill Nelson made a complete break with his past and by and large replaced is guitar with synthesizers and machines by releasing solo material on his own Cocteau label. But without major label backing Nelson’s intelligent electronic synth pop songs only grazed the top 40 even though he was producing his most commerical sounding music in this period.

Perfect pop singles like Banal, Living In My Limousine and Do You Dream In Colour I believe should have gained Bill Nelson the same level of commerical success as his contemporaries Gary Numan and David Sylvian but for whatever reason it wasn’t to be.

On March 26th 2011 ITV filmed a special concert in London with Bill Nelson. The ITV Legends DVD is now available to buy.

Hurrah! – The Sun Shines Here

Terry Lane — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:18:23 +0000

Signed to Kitchenware Records in 1982, Newcastle’s Hurrah!, along with the Paisley Underground movement of California, were a prime influence on the hugely successful Creation Records.

“Hurrah! were like a perfect punk rock fantasy Byrds… what we all wished we were. Great songs, great shows, supreme überpunk attitude… we just loved them.” – Alan McGee, 2011

With an appearance somewhere between early pre-mop top Beatles and part Byrds circa 1965, Hurrah!’s early singles helped pave the way for many 1980’s jangly guitar indie popsters.

Originally released in 1993 on Creation Records, The Sound Of Philadelphia features those first few influential singles and demos leading up to Hurrah!’s mid-1980’s breakthrough and will be re-issued in July 2011.

Comtemporary bands such as Crystal Stilts, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The See See and The Tambourines are all gaining acclaim for a sound that owes so much to Hurrah!

[Sorry for the quality of this promo video for Hurrah!’s debut single, The Sun Shines Here. Can anyone post a better version on YouTube?]

Marine Girls – A Place In The Sun

Terry Lane — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:52:22 +0000

Before EBTG even became Everything But The Girl, Tracey Thorn began her pop music career as a shy young thing singing and playing guitar with the Marine Girls, a group she started with Gina Hartman, a sixth form school friend.

The Marine Girls was formed in 1980 with further members Jane Fox on bass and her sister Alice on joint vocals and percussion. In 1981, Tracey went to Hull University where she met Ben Watt and formed Everything But The Girl.

Their debut single, On My Mind, was covered by Everything But The Girl on the b-side of their first single, Night And Day. While their debut album, Beach Party was listed as one of Kurt Cobain’s 50 favourite albums in his diaries. A second album, Lazy Ways was released in 1983. Both albums were re-issued as a double CD on Cooking Vinyl in 1997.

The Marine Girls also recorded two John Peel Sessions. The first included five songs: Don’t Come Back, Love To Know, He Got The Girl, Fever and A Place In The Sun.

A Place In The Sun was never released as a single.

Half Man Half Biscuit – Fuckin’ ‘Ell It’s Fred Titmus

John Williams — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:08:15 +0000

This ode to the legendary England and Middlesex cricketer Fred Titmus was written, recorded and performed by the brilliant Half Man Half Biscuit.

This is a live version of the song from Glasgow 1986.

Fred Titmus R.I.P

Half Man Half Biscuit – Fuckin’ ‘Ell It’s Fred Titmus

The Primitives UK Dates & Really Stupid

Terry Lane — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:06:27 +0000

Can you remember what Tracy Tracy of The Primitives looks like?

The Primitives release the 4-track Never Kill A Secret EP in March, their first new recordings since they split up in 1992.

They emerged along bands like My Bloody Valentine & Primal Scream, following the noisy buzz-guitar indie pop of The Jesus & Marychain in the mid-1980s and are best known for their most commercially successful single, Crash. Though like The Jesus & Marychain, they dropped the noise of their first two singles, Really Stupid & Stop Killing Me before receiving commercial success.

A further two hit singles followed Crash in 1988 (Out Of Reach and Way Behind Me) and two more in 1989 (Sick Of It and Secrets). But by now The Primitives and their brand of sweet indie guitar pop music had been replaced by the grunge of Nirvana and the indie dance of The Stone Roses.

After three albums, Lovely, Pure and Galore, The Primitives decided to split up in 1992. Last year they reformed and this March they release their new EP and will be touring the UK.

The Primitives 2011 UK Tour Dates:

Wed 16 March
Joiners Arms, Southampton

Thu 17 March
Haymakers, Cambridge

Fri 18 March
Start the Bus, Bristol

Sat 19 March
Fibbers, York

Sun 20 March
The Arches, Glasgow

Mon 21 March
Moho, Manchester

Wed 23 March
Academy, Birmingham

Thu 24 March
Garage, London

Simply Red – Holding Back The Years

John Williams — Sun, 30 May 2010 09:29:02 +0000

Back before Mick Hucknall became a fanny magnet to the stars, Simply Red released their debut album Picture Book, a brilliant collection of songs which included their first hit single Money’s Too Tight To Mention.

Holding Back The Years was the second of the two standout tracks on the album and was released in 1986, reaching number 2 in the UK charts.

Simply Red – Holding Back The Years

Gregory Isaacs – Night Nurse – Live 1983

John Williams — Sat, 29 May 2010 09:14:48 +0000

Here is a classic reggae tune from one of the masters of the craft, Gregory Isaacs performs Night Nurse on home turf at the Reggae Supersplash in Montego Bay, Jamaica back in 1983.

He is being backed by the more than adequate Roots Radics on this performance, ensuring a top quality vocal and sound, unlike the video clip! But listen anyway, its worth it.

Gregory Isaacs – Night Nurse – Live 1983

Soft Cell – Say Hello Wave Goodbye – Live 1982

John Williams — Fri, 28 May 2010 10:45:25 +0000

Here is a brilliant performance from Soft Cell taken from the Oxford Road Show in 1982.

Having conquered the UK charts in 1981 with their reworking of the classic 1964 Gloria Jones track Tainted Love, the song was a monster hitting number one in seventeen countries including the UK.

Say Hello Wave Goodbye was the final track on the 1981 classic album Non Stop Erotic Dancing, which also featured Tainted Love and Bedsitter as well as the controversial Sex Dwarf.

The album was recorded on a low budget in New York at the height of the Manhattan gay club scene and the early days of the drug ecstasy which was allegedly used by Soft Cell throughout the recording.

Although the recording took place in New York the content unashamedly reflects the seedy underworld of eighties England.

Soft Cell – Say Hello Wave Goodbye

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car

John Williams — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:10:50 +0000

Here is a live version of Fast Car by Tracy Chapman, not sure when and where this was recorded, but a real good quality performance of one of the hit songs from her brilliant self titled debut album from 1988.

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car